TOPIC: Embodied Fabrication

Instructors:

Dr Joëlle Bitton
Verena Ziegler

Guest Instructor:

Roman Jurt

Teaching Assistant:
Martin Dusek

Additional support: Joël Gähwiler and Luke Franzke (weeks 4 and 5)

Office hours by appointment

The course runs from 18.09.18 - 18.10.18, from 9.00 - 17.00. See timetable below for more detailed hours and classrooms.

Overview and Objectives

The course proposes an examination and speculation of technologies as they related to Embodied Interaction (ie. mobile computing, wearable interfaces, location-based interactions and digital fabrication...).
This examination covers societal, ethical and social influences.

This year, the course puts an emphasis on 'Embodied Fabrication', where digital fabrication is approached from the perspective of embodiment.
With more flexible and more accessible modes of fabrication, and with social aspects of fabrication emerging in recent years, we have the opportunity to investigate ways that we can transform our physical selves and environments.

During this module, we'll uncover some of these possibilities by designing and informing body orthotics with personal data. By group or individual work, you'll propose such form of body extension.
Design factors may include:
• material intimacy
• processes of fabrication / physical interactions that impact digital fabrication
• wearability
• performative aspects

Your work will encounter some of these research questions:

What does interaction Design bring to the topic of Digital Fabrication?

How can the theory of embodied interaction influence digital fabrication processes?

Can the outcome of the fabrication reflect the theory of embodiment?

What tools/technology can be used to facilitate this process?

How can data be visualised in physical form? Can the data be understood, or is it a purely aesthetic output?

Expectations and Gradings

Grades will be based on group presentations and exercises, class participation, documentation (journal) and final work.
Contributing to constructive group feedback is an essential aspect of class participation.
Regular attendance is required. Two or more unexcused absences will affect the final grade. Arriving late on more than one occasion will also affect the grade.

Final work 50%

Group exercises/presentations 20%

Journal Documentation 20%

Class participation 10%

Any assignment that remains unfulfilled receives a failing grade.

Deliverables

Kickoff Exercise: Analogue Data Collection
Look for sources of your personal body data in the real world. What traces do we leave behind that give us indications about our movements, vital signs or emotions?
Be aware of the data you're collecting without intention. Or are you currently collecting data intentionally?
Record videos or take photos to indicate and attempt to extract the data or reflect on it.
Represent that data in a performative way.
Presentation/performance: max 5 minutes
Individual work
Final Project and Presentation: Wearable designed from personal data
Use Data-Collection, Generative Design Methods and Digital Fabrication to create a Data Driven Wearable (fashion item, prosthesis, orthesis, prosthetics, implant, etc).
Questions to consider in your process:
- What drives the design? (example: is it functional, speculation or critique)
- Where could the data come from? (example: sensors)
- How do you map the data to a geometry? (example: using a metaphor)
- Or is the form making process inspired by existing models? (example: fungus, cell division, mathematical geometry,…)
- What is the fabrication process?
Presentation Format: Exhibition of Experiments, Performance with Final Prototypes together with an oral presentation.
Presentation on: 18.10.2018
Documentation Format: PDF, video, and pictures per usual guidelines on IAD server
In groups of two or three students (or individual work per special request)
Documentation
A 'Journal' is developed by each student that reflects on learnings from the course. It should be in the form of an online blog (ie. WordPress, Tumblr or other):
- The journal should be structured in a generally comprehensible manner
- The lecture notes, including annotations, are stored
- Notes, sketches for each lesson should be included as well

Course outline

Timetable

Tools and Software

Rhino 6.0 Trial for Windows or Rhino 5.2 for Mac (90 Day test license) including Grasshopper
https://shiftr.io/
Skanect (3d scanning with kinect)
Meshmixer (editing meshes)

Tools available: 3D printer (Ultimaker, Delta, Cetus, Single-line), laser cutter, foam cutter, wire bender, photogrammetry....