Which won’t do for prototyping. So I was trying to find existing looms to see if I could understand how they work and replicate it but using less or no automation for one-off production, using jigs, or perhaps later some automation (mid-scale manufacturing). But I think the production process is then perhaps sufficiently different that knowing how drop-stitch looms work won’t help you much anymore.
Using a broad definition of “considering.” It’s just a very neat idea and fun to imagine.
Not just mycelium.
You could try growing a rigid material or an inflatable. I was thinking more of growing or pouring rigid materials into a sacrificial (3D printed) mould to make a rigid material, because that seems easier; lower tensile strength requirements and no need to make it airtight.
But let’s say we wanted to pour/grow an inflatable. Easier than drop-stitch I think then would be something like this:
This is then more of mix between an inflatable and a rigid material. The tensile strength of your fiber doesn’t need to match that of nylon and you have less issues with your channels being too fine for your material to flow/grow through. This will be bumpy when inflated though, for that then there is for example this idea: Biomimicry: airfoils inspired by humpback whales, seals, and other animals
Growing a foam to replace styrofoam seems easier. But I don’t know the densities and compressive strengths of the different possible materials, yet.
Without knowing the specifics, I think this has a lot of immediate potential:
The possibilities are endless, especially in Europe where you have an infinite supply of private customers used to brick construction. You can sell bricks for houses, Gaudi or LOTR inspired flat-pack garden houses and garden walls with no need for mortar, paving stones, and so on. If you can grow the stones quickly enough you can do made to order, cutting down on your inventory cost.