Awesome JavaScript / WebGL gCode viewer

Joe Walnes (@joewalns) created this great in-browser gCode viewer using webGL.

Read more about it here

Voronoi Bookshelf Prototype, an experiment in interactive, generative design

What is this?

• This is a prototype. An experiment in generative, collaborative design.
• The prototype consists of two parts: a generator and an object.
• The generator is a piece of software that designs the object.
• The object is a bookshelf based on a Voronoi Diagram. (I pronounce it vo-ro-NOY)

So what is generative, collaborative design?

Continue reading “Voronoi Bookshelf Prototype, an experiment in interactive, generative design” »

Bicycles For The Mind – Wilson Miner

Bret Victor – Inventing on Principle

Valse Automatique

more

<via> Creative Applications

Design we love: Vorwaertz 3d printed lugs

Lugs are my favorite part of a bike. If I were more of a bike geek (hell, if I were a bike geek at all) I’d want to build my own bike, ans sure ’nuf I’d want to 3D print my lugs. And the carbon fiber tubes … yeah, I dig them.
Another great example of how contemporary fabrications allows for mass customization.

VRZ 1. is a track bike frame with 3d printed stainless steel lugs glued together with carbon fiber tubes.

this method allows to build custom frames in a short period of time.
you could change the geometry to what ever you like, then the lugs gets generated by a software.
now we just need to print the parts finish them and glue the frame together.

The fork is 480 g and the frame weight is 1100 g (for stainless-Carbon Frame)! if we print the lugs in titanium, it will get even lighter.
The printed lugs could also be used with steel or titan tubes!

<via Ponoko>

Cell Stool Prototype In Progress

A few weeks ago I posted a few concept drawings, and over since then two of the drawings have begun to squeeze their way into reality as prototypes. In that post I mentioned that fabricating the four asymmetric lofts that make of the “cells” of the Cell Stool was going to be a fun. Here are some photos documenting the process to date.

First, let’s just recall what we are working towards. This first image is the concept drawing. Fabricating the lofts from plywood was the main challenge here.

The first step was to have the robot cut each layer of plywood for each of the our lofts. The holes will be used for alignment.

Once all the parts are cut, they are aligned, stacked and bonded. Here, in the lower right you can see the dowels used to align the pieces. With all the pieces together you can see (top) the rough shape of the four lofts.

Each of the four roughly assembled lofts are then individually cut by the robot. On the the upper left you can see the original piece, while on the upper right you can see it after the first “roughing” cut. The bottom left shows the robot working back and forth over the piece, shaping the loft. Finally, on the lower right image is of the completed loft.

Once that’s been done for each of the four lofts, they are ready for assembly. Here are two photos of final four lofts in their final placement.

I love the way these have come out. Now that I’ve seen it in real life, however, I’ve begun to rethink the legs. In the sketch I had some 2″ aluminium tube as for the legs, but now I think it would be more interesting to continue the “cell” shapes into the legs. I think about that one for a bit. I’ve also though of some ways I can strengthen the final joining of lofts, but I’ll have to save those changes for the next prototype.

Design we love: Marco Guadarrama’s serving platters

Here are some really clever serving platters by Marco A. Guadarrama. I love the way the bowl is integrated into the platter, and the way the slot serves to hold the platter and the wine glass (and makes it ambidextrous). These were two design elements that were in early drawings of the Gastronaut platters, which were going to have a slot for a sauce/dipping bowl. I also considered this “pallet” style of hold the platters, but rejected it because the Gastronaut platters were too large for it. It’s great to see the elements at work.

<via Dornob>

Concept Sketches – Chairs with cubbies and more!

Here are some concept sketches I’ve been working on. These are mostly CNC routed wood, although two of the concepts have metal elements.

I really like the idea of a chair with a little cubby underneath the seat.  At home it would e a great place to quickly stash a book or a laptop, and in a restaurant or office it would be a great place for your hoodie or hat. I’m happy with the upper part of the Cubby Chair, but the legs still need some work.

There is also a sketch of an end table that’s in a similar style to the Cubby Chairs.

And finally there is the Cell Stool. I really love the look of four cellular quadrants constrained by the trapezoid. The element I like the most are the asymmetric lofts the create. Fabricating those lofts is a challenge I’m looking forward to in the coming weeks.

Bret Victor: A Brief Rant on the Future of Interaction Design

The next time you make breakfast, pay attention to the exquisitely intricate choreography of opening cupboards and pouring the milk — notice how your limbs move in space, how effortlessly you use your weight and balance. The only reason your mind doesnt explode every morning from the sheer awesomeness of your balletic achievement is that everyone else in the world can do this as well.

With an entire body at your command, do you seriously think the Future Of Interaction should be a single finger?

via A Brief Rant on the Future of Interaction Design.