Tools that enable designers and artists to empathize and create meaningful experiences and artifacts are diverse. Some examples of our work:
Method Card Design Dimensions – We examined 18 well known design method card systems and identify important design dimensions and suggest possible patterns. Designers can use our work to choose an appropriate method card system, reducing the design cycle and improving design results.
Visualization Tools for Musical Improvisation – We designed and evaluated a system that enables electroacoustic musicians to collaborate during their creative process, finding better sounds and avoiding sounds they do not want.
Augmented Laser Cutting – This project involves the augmentation of laser cutting tools to reduce waste, improve accuracy of cuts, and enables new creative expression when using laser cutters. This is a joint project involving architects, designers, and computer scientists.
Ultra-Portable 3D Printer – This project involves the design and development of a line of extremely portable 3D printers and is a joint project involving engineers, designers, and computer scientists. It is our goal to catch a glimpse at what work and creative practices might look like when 3D printers are cheap, widely available, and small enough to be truly portable, for example, the size of a textbook. (More information will be shared soon.)
Box-o-Blocks – waterjet cutting makes it possible to create educational building blocks using heavy stone materials resulting in functional architectural components. Through play and experimentation, children learn to construct freestanding arches, learn through experimentation how to plan an build three dimensional objects. (more details coming soon)
Cork Vault – In June 2014, we conducted a 2 week workshop with 35 Architecture students focused on learning digital tools of fabrication including CAD (Rhino), Parametric modeling (Grasshopper), and Digital Stereotomy. Many design experiments were conducted including the final full scale vault made from expanded cork agglomerate.