Academic Research on Wood 

When I joined MIT’s Measurement and Instrumentation course (2.671), I wanted to explore how digital fabrication could change the way we use traditional materials. I focused on kerf bending—using laser-cut patterns to turn rigid sheets of wood into flexible, almost fabric-like structures. I designed samples in SolidWorks, fabricated them with laser cutting, and tested their strength and flexibility using a Texture Analyzer.

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To make sense of the results, I collected raw force–deflection data and analyzed it in Python, cleaning and visualizing the datasets until clear relationships emerged.The experiments revealed a simple but powerful truth: closer kerf cuts allowed wood to bend further before breaking, but also weakened its overall strength. In other words, every design decision carried a trade-off: flexibility versus durability (form versus function).

 

The project wasn’t just about wood and lasers, it was about learning how to define success, test hypotheses, and translate data into design insights. By the end, I had built not only physical samples, but also a framework for understanding how kerf bending can be used in real products: from furniture to architectural panels.