Virtual Clay Prototyping System – A Framework for Real-Time Modeling

In order to provide users a real-time force-feedback immersive virtual modelling environment, powerful computing capabilities are often needed. As this potentially results in a calculation bottleneck, virtual modelling scenes are often delayed and resulting in a poor user experience. In this paper, the authors present a novel approach to improve the calculation speed for the volume pixel (voxel) amount of force feedback generated based on the amount of pressure exerted on the ‘virtual material’ per unit time. Results from the experiments reveal that this approach required less computing power, thereby offering a better user experience. This has been confirmed through a series of trials that investigated the amount of time students spent during sketching, physical modelling and virtual prototyping. Results found that the remapped virtual prototyping method was more effective than physical model in productivity in terms of time, and efficiency in terms of data conversion

Digitally interpreting traditional folk crafts

The cultural heritage preservation requires that objects persist throughout time to continue to communicate an intended meaning. The necessity of computer-based preservation and interpretation of traditional folk crafts is validated by the decreasing number of masters, fading technologies, and crafts losing economic ground. We present a long-term applied research project on the development of a mathematical basis, software tools, and technology for application of desktop or personal fabrication using compact, cheap, and environmentally friendly fabrication devices, including '3D printers', in traditional crafts. We illustrate the properties of this new modeling and fabrication system using several case studies involving the digital capture of traditional objects and craft patterns, which we also reuse in modern designs. The test application areas for the development are traditional crafts from different cultural backgrounds, namely Japanese lacquer ware and Norwegian carvings. Our project includes modeling existing artifacts, Web presentations of the models, automation of the models fabrication, and the experimental manufacturing of new designs and forms

Tangible user interfaces : past, present and future directions

In the last two decades, Tangible User Interfaces (TUIs) have emerged as a new interface type that interlinks the digital and physical worlds. Drawing upon users' knowledge and skills of interaction with the real non-digital world, TUIs show a potential to enhance the way in which people interact with and leverage digital information. However, TUI research is still in its infancy and extensive research is required in or- der to fully understand the implications of tangible user interfaces, to develop technologies that further bridge the digital and the physical, and to guide TUI design with empirical knowledge. This paper examines the existing body of work on Tangible User In- terfaces. We start by sketching the history of tangible user interfaces, examining the intellectual origins of this field. We then present TUIs in a broader context, survey application domains, and review frame- works and taxonomies. We also discuss conceptual foundations of TUIs including perspectives from cognitive sciences, phycology, and philoso- phy. Methods and technologies for designing, building, and evaluating TUIs are also addressed. Finally, we discuss the strengths and limita- tions of TUIs and chart directions for future research

Digital sculpture : conceptually motivated sculptural models through the application of three-dimensional computer-aided design and additive fabrication technologies

Thesis (D. Tech.) - Central University of Technology, Free State, 200