Skylar Tibbits and German Aparicio will be holding a 3-Day Python workshop in LA/Santa Monica, Sept. 23-25th, titled,”Design & Automation: Python for Practitioners.” The Workshop has limited enrollment – Sign up here!
Workshop website – http://python4rhino5.wordpress.com/
Skylar Tibbits will be holding a Debut Python for Rhino 101 Webinar on July 22nd!
Topics covered will include: Running Scripts, Syntax, Data Types, Variables, Flow Control, Tuples/Lists/Dictionaries.
The Webinar has limited enrollment – Sign up here!
Be sure to download the Free RhinoPython 101 Primer here!
The RhinoPython 101 Primer was co-authored by Skylar Tibbits, Arthur van der Harten, Steve Baer and original author -David Rutten from Robert McNeel & Associates.
SJET has a new look! – www.sjet.us (same address…new face)
This blog will stay active as long as its necessary and there are enough projects to post. It will be treated more as a work-in-progress and side-project site with smaller and more sporadic posts.
Stay tuned…
The following images show a nearest neighbor interface I wrote with Python & pyOpenGL a few months ago. Nearest neighbor is a fairly simple and commonly used algorithm with applications in pattern recognition, machine learning, DNA sequencing and many others. I was specifically looking at comparing brute force search with the Kd-Tree algorithm for partitioning 3 dimensional spaces with nearest neighbors. The visualizer places points in a 3dimensional array with user input to dynamically increase/decrease the number of field points & attractor points. The colored spheres represent the attractor points and the smaller points represent the field. As the user increases/decreases the number of field and/or attractor points they can dynamically calculate the nearest neighbors using either the brute force or Kd-tree search algorithms. The field points will change color to indicate that particular point’s nearest neighbor. The user can orbit the space and zoom in/out as they adjust the number of points and attractions.
“Nearest neighbor search (NNS), also known as proximity search, similarity search or closest point search, is an optimization problem for finding closest points in metric spaces. The problem is: given a set S of points in a metric space M and a query point q ∈ M, find the closest point in S to q. In many cases, M is taken to be d-dimensional Euclidean space and distance is measured by Euclidean distance or Manhattan distance.” – Wikipedia
“In computer science, a kd-tree (short for k-dimensional tree) is a space-partitioning data structure for organizing points in a k-dimensional space. kd-trees are a useful data structure for several applications, such as searches involving a multidimensional search key (e.g. range searches and nearest neighbor searches). kd-trees are a special case of BSP trees.” – Wikipedia
“The kd-tree is a binary tree in which every node is a k-dimensional point. Every non-leaf node can be thought of as implicitly generating a splitting hyperplane that divides the space into two parts, known as subspaces. Points to the left of this hyperplane represent the left sub-tree of that node and points right of the hyperplane are represented by the right sub-tree. The hyperplane direction is chosen in the following way: every node in the tree is associated with one of the k-dimensions, with the hyperplane perpendicular to that dimension’s axis. So, for example, if for a particular split the “x” axis is chosen, all points in the subtree with a smaller “x” value than the node will appear in the left subtree and all points with larger “x” value will be in the right sub tree. In such a case, the hyperplane would be set by the x-value of the point, and its normal would be the unit x-axis.” – Wikipedia
A quick update on my current research….
Logic Matter :
Digital Logic as heuristics for physical self-guided-assembly
Given the increasing complexity of the physical structures surrounding our everyday environment; buildings, machines, computers and almost every other physical object that humans interact with, the processes of assembling these complex structures are inevitably caught in a battle of time, complexity and human/machine processing power. If we are to keep up with this exponential growth in construction complexity we need to develop automated assembly logic embedded within our material parts to aid in construction. In this thesis I introduce Logic Matter as a system of passive mechanical digital logic modules for self-guided-assembly of large-scale structures. As opposed to current systems in self-reconfigurable robotics, Logic Matter introduces scalability, robustness, redundancy and local heuristics to achieve passive assembly. I propose a mechanical module that implements digital NAND logic as an effective tool for encoding local and global assembly sequences. I then show a physical prototype that successfully demonstrates the described mechanics, encoded information and passive self-guided-assembly. Finally, I show exciting potentials of Logic Matter as a new system of computing with applications in space/volume filling, surface construction, and 3D circuit assembly.
Thesis Advisor: Terry Knight : Professor of Design and Computation, Department of Architecture, MIT
Thesis Advisor: Patrick Winston : Ford Professor of Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science, EECS, MIT
Thesis Reader: Erik Demaine : Associate Professor, EECS, MIT
GUGGENHEIM | NEW YORK, NY | Contemplating the Void
Feb 12th to April 28th 2010
THEVERYMANY (Marc Fornes, Skylar Tibbits) has been invited to exhibit at the Guggenheim Museum, New York as part of the show CONTEMPLATING THE VOID – the exhibition will display a vision of Frank Lloyd Wright’s iconic void, from 200 artists and architects.
(invitation: David van der Leer, Assistant Curator Architecture & Design Guggenheim Museum, New York)
Click for Passive Folder Process Images
Click for Passive Folder Videos
The Passive Folder is a recent development in the line of programmable matter, 1D folding chain, systems. The Passive Folder maintains the full functionality of its previous ancestors i.e. 3 locking positions of rotation, full programmability/functionality at every node, the ability to construct any given 1D, 2D or 3D geometry from a single 1D input string. However, the Passive Folder aimes at scalability for large-scale assembly and thus attempts to save construction time and cost while eliminating its reliance on electromechanical systems. The Passive Folder relies on human constructability and on-site physical programming (pull & rotate mechanism) to transform between any given geometries. This removes the cost for electronics and high torque motors that struggle to fight excessive moment forces that can lead to unit failure at any point along the chain. The simple pull & rotate mechanism allows anyone to simply program each unit by separating each female-to-female unit, then rotating to any of the 3 locking positions and releasing. Any desired geometry can be written as a string of angles or instructions for the user. By starting at one end and walking along the chain, programming each node, angle sequences are locked in-place, resulting in the overall desired geometry.
The Passive Folder was constructed using:
-Waterjet cut (30) 2′x3′ sheets of white powder coated aluminum
-1800 black rivets
-Each connected with a 4″x4″ black turntable bearing
The Passive Folder was built under the Milli-Biology project in Neil Gershenfeld’s Center for Bits and Atoms, MIT.
Project Team: Neil Gershenfeld, Skylar Tibbits, Erik Demaine, Kenny Cheung, Max Lobovsky, Veronica Emig
n/Edg
THEVERYMANY | Marc Fornes, Skylar Tibbits, Mathew Staudt, Jared Laucks
Lyon, France – 14 September – 27 November
n|Edge looks at tessellation beyond triangle and quadrilateral arrays. Is it possible to generate parts going from three sides to n sides?
Many thanks to:
Anne Vialle, Simon Feydieu, Lou Lucat, Tamara Maes, Sophie Roset, Charlotte Marrel, Benedetto Bufalino,…
Marie Bassano
Eric Deboos & Laurent Lucas @ Gallerie Roger Tator (Lyon, France)
Jared Laucks @ Continental Signs (Philadelphia, US)
22 Nested 4′x8′ Sheets.
Many thanks to TDM Solutions & RhinoNest!
The Decibot is part of the larger *bot family of programmable matter 1D folding chains. The *bot family contains electromechanical folding @ nm, mm, cm, dm part lengths. The decibot is the largest of the family with overall dimensions of 144″x18″x18″ unfolded and 36″x36″x36″ folded into a cube.
Decibot was built under the Milli-Biology project in Neil Gershenfeld’s Center for Bits and Atoms, MIT. Decibot was presented with the rest of the *bot family at DARPA’s InfoChemistry conference under the topic of Programmable Matter.
Project Team: Neil Gershenfeld, Ara Knaian, Peter Schmidt-Nielsen, Skylar Tibbits, Kenny Cheung, Max Lobovsky, Asa Oines, Erik Demaine, Jonathan Bachrach, Scott Greenwald, Forrest Green, David Dalrymple, Steffen Reichert, Jonathan Ward
Process Images @ DeciBot Process
Decibot Video @ DeciBot Videos
THEVERYMANY (Marc Fornes, Skylar Tibbits, Mat Staudt, Jared Laucks, Brandon Kruysman, Jon Proto) present “Modoid” as part of the larger show, OVERLAP.
Opening September 9th, 2009 from 6-9pm, Elga Wimmer Gallery, NY.
THEVERYMANY (Marc Fornes, Skylar Tibbits, Mat Staudt) present “Aloblums” – Valparaiso, Chile, August 2009
Many thanks to the collective BANGS for the invitation – especially Marcela Godoy for making that workshop happen…
Students:
Eduardo Hirose, Daniel Concha, Diego Moreno, Juan Pablo Klempau, Felipe Valdebenito, Pablo Banda, Francisco Quitral, Hermann Zbindenn, José Luis Guzmán, Victor Bunster M., Drago Vodanovic, Claudio Troncoso, Tomas Jacobsen, Miguel Aravena, Pablo Silva
Francisco Calvo, Camila Rock De Luigi, Francisco Lara, Oscar Terrazas , Gabriel Santander, Oscar Ignacio Contreras, Hernán Castro, Natalija Boljsakov, Brian Miller, Manuel Díaz, Rodrigo Ramírez, Gonzalo Andrade, Andre Geoffroy, Matias Carrera…
BANGS:
Pablo Barría, Begoña Arellano, Claudio Astudillo, José Narea,, Marcela Godoy, Linda Schilling
Extras:
Pablo C. Herrera, Tristan Al Haddad…
Fabrication Sponsor: Continental Signs & Jared Laucks
Final photos from the installed sliding door. Developed based on CNC tool path responsive surface milling – cut paths respond to local curvature and allow for surface milling with overlayed surface patterning.
Developed in Aug. ’08 in collaboration with Point b design. Many thanks to Jon Proto and Brandon Krusyman.
THEVERYMANY (Marc Fornes, Skylar Tibbits, Mat Staudt) present “Echinoids” – Bridge Gallery NYC, part of the larger show Wild Child, by Peter Macapia. More information: www.theverymany.net
530 Veneer modules hand stiched with elastic bra strap and connected with 1/4″ black screws.
Overall dimensions: 13-1/2′ x 5′ x 7-1/2′
Many thanks for the generous support from Pratt Institute, Anyline Lasercutting and those who made this installation possible:
Brandt Graves, Carrie Mckelly, Elliot White, Troy Zezula, Biayna Bogosian, Christine Rogiaman, Jared Laucks, Scott Savage, Al Attari, Brian Doyle, Claire Davenport, Claudia Corcilius, Courtney Song, Gary Mellon, Heidi Bullinga, Kamyar Rahimi, Majda Muhic, Marcelo Ertorteguy, Matthew DeLuca, Melissa Funkey, Otilia Pupezeanu, Sara Valente, Simon Kristav, Shadi Arani, Veronica Emig
A schematic proposal for an installation and window display at Selfridges & Co. London, October 2008.
THEVERYMANY (Marc Fornes + Skylar Tibbits) propose to investigate and test the materialization of forces in field and aggregation. The relationship between individual parts produces a physical assembly of components, viewed at a moment of tension, creating energy and a phenomenological affect within its physical surroundings. Attraction and repulsion are utilized throughout the installations in order to invoke the senses of the user and the notion of colliding elements, one that juxtaposes climates, forces and bodies.
Invitation by Melissa Woolford & Nous Gallery, London.
THEVERYMANY @ BRIDGE GALLERY (NYC)
98 Ochard Street New York NY 10002
Opening: Thursday July 9th, 6pm
(as part of the collective show “Wild child” curated by Peter Macapia)
Fabrication Sponsor:
Anyline laser cutting (www.anyline-ny.com)
“Approximation of the Mind”, by THEVERYMANY (Marc Fornes + Skylar Tibbits) was commissioned by Seed Media Group and The Council on Competitiveness as a gift to Sheryl Handler, CEO of Ab Initio, at The State of Innovation Summit in Washington D.C..
Rapid Prototyping from Harbec Plastics
Videos @ MacroBot – Videos
More process images @ MacroBot – Process
The MacroBot project is part of the MilliBiology team research at MIT’s Center for Bits and Atoms, under Neil Gershenfeld.
Project Team: Kenny Cheung, Ara Knaian, Scott Greenwald, Forest Green, Keywon Chung, David Dalrymple, Taro Narahara
Many Thanks : Steffen Reichert, Jonathan Ward, Max Lobovsky, Veronica Emig, Ilan Moyer
Images from a gear assembly mock-up. A DC motor is mounted to one side of a bearing while a pinion gear rotates and turns an internal gear attached to the other side of the bearing. The bearing attaches to each unit and provides the rotational axis.
Images from a working small-scale mockup by Kenny Cheung, showing the transition from a line to a box. Each unit size is approximately 6″ x 12″ x 6″
Collaboration with Kenny Cheung and the MIT MilliBiology team. Many thanks to Max Lobovsky .
—
“Protein folding is the physical process by which a polypeptide folds into its characteristic and functional three-dimensional structure from a random coil.” – Wikipedia
A progress report on the quest for coded assembly. A first mock-up of chain assembly (only 3 units of thousands) and one that is finally alive (although barely breathing!). A number of earlier studies below and more to come in the following weeks. Many thanks to Kenny Cheung, Jonathan Ward, Max Lobovsky, Steffen Reichert and many others.
The movement, although slow, shows potential for a full range of motion in only 2 units. Stronger stepper motors are needed to provide more torque for lifting motion.
—–
Earlier studies on tensioning systems for self-organization. Single strands are wound within each module and snap into place with male/female connections. Danzer modules force accurate angles and internal motors act as the winding force. 1. Additive friction 2. a necessity for deterministic structures and 3. a static final form led us away from tensioning systems toward protein folding. Many thanks to Veronica Emig and Steffen Reichert.
Aperiodic Vertebrae [Frankfurt : NODE08] has recently been published in Pasajes Arquitectura y Critica.
Aperiodic Vertebrae [Frankfurt : NODE08] has recently been published in the AD Journal : Theoretical Meltdown, Jan/Feb 2009.
Non-orthogonal responsive tool paths.
Rough pass – door handle mill.
A few images from Point b and the installation of the custom milled cabinets and wall surface. (Many thanks to Brandon Kruysman and Jon Proto for the photos) Collaboration with Point b Design.
Daniel Cardoso, Kenfield Griffith and Skylar Tibbits will be co-teaching a Rhinoscript workshop in collaboration with McNeel Latinoamérica at the Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá, Colombia from Jan 28th - Feb. 5th.
http://arquitectura.uniandes.edu.co/scripts/0_docs/noticias/2008/12-19/
Images from the final prototype.
Successes:
-Working continuous servo motor, controlled through potentiometers
-Working electromagnets for latching mechanism per edge
-Working, soldered and printed circuit board
-Programmed AVR microcontroller with PWM output for servos
-Fabricated and functioning gears & bearings per edge
Problems/Potentials:
-Electromagnets fail to maintain the edge axis when the gears engage and rotate
-Possibly a solenoid connection rather than electromagnets
-Possibly two motors or latches per edge in order to stabilize during rotation
-Electromagnets require approximately 20v, where circuit & servos only need 9v
-Potential for sensors on each face which dictate the on/off state for the electromagnets & servos
Again, many thanks to Sajid Sadi, Mark Feldmeier, Marcelo Coelho, Peter Schmidt and everyone else for your help!
http://ambient.media.mit.edu/courses/2008-MAS962/
Progress images…more to come.
Many thanks to Sajid, Mark and everyone that has helped thus far.
First images from a current project on self-aggregation modules.
Each component includes a servo & electromagnet per edge. A servo rotates an electromagnet on edge 1 of unit A which is connected to unit B’s electromagnet & edge 1 which then rotates the entire unit B. As unit B locks into position unit A’s electromagnet is negatively charged on edge 1 while A’s electromagnet on edge 2 is positively charged to lock unit B into place. Unit A’s servo then rotates on edge 2 which rotates the entire unit B and iterates through the previous steps…. (Lock magA, rotate servoA, lock magB, unlock magA, rotate servoB, lock magC, unlock magB, rotate servoC, loop)
Each unit has the capability of climbing neighboring units and self-assembling based on levels of attraction, repulsion, stabilization/destabilization, spatial constraint etc etc…
An aggregate is a collection of items that are gathered together to form a total quantity.
Self-assembly is a term used to describe processes in which a disordered system of pre-existing components forms an organized structure or pattern as a consequence of specific, local interactions among the components themselves, without external direction.
Self-organization is a process of attraction and repulsion in which the internal organization of a system, normally an open system, increases in complexity without being guided or managed by an outside source.
-wikipedia
Only scratching the surface of a field lead by people like:
ViktorZykov ( http://ccsl.mae.cornell.edu/research/selfrep/ ) and the team at Cornell University.
Hod Lipson ( http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/hod_lipson_builds_self_aware_robots.html )
Robert Kemp & Michael Fox ( http://www.robotecture.com/ )
This investigation in self-assembly units similarly pushes to aggregate autonomously through evolved behavior and responsiveness, however, a more direct link can hopefully be drawn between spatial possibilities and the benefits of automated full-scale self-construction mechanisms.
More images, mock-ups, electronics etc. to come….
Waterjet copper bracelets made from “path responsive surface curves”.
Skylar Tibbits will be presenting at Pecha Kucha Boston on Wednesday, November 12th at 630pm.
Many thanks to Zenovia Toloudi & Dimitris Papanikolao for the invitation.
www.pecha-kucha.org
http://pechakuchaboston.org
SEED Magazine and MOMA’s collaboration, MIND08, has been published online, including all video presentations.
http://seedmagazine.com/mind08
View Marc Fornes and Skylar Tibbits’ presentation along with:
Bradley Samuels, Erik Demaine, Chuck Hoberman, Chris Lasch, Neri Oxman and many others…
http://revminds.seedmagazine.com/
http://mind08.com/
CNC milled incision and/or surface cut path patterns, in collaboration with Point b design (www.pointbdesign.com).
More images from the surface milling utility code. Panels 2-1/2 axis milled from bamboo, cherry & MDF wood.
Code:
-Get tool dimension, step-over, max depth & direction for cut (x,y)
-Extract isocurves of a surface @ the percentage of step-over multiplied by the tool dimension
-For every point along each isocurve check the z depth
-Move each point along the surface based on its z-depth
-Calculate the largest depth & divide by the maximum depth for the tool
-Create stepped isocurves vertically based on the calculated max depth
This will output cut paths for any specified surface while also defining patterning based on surface conditions.
All studies were done in collaboration with Point b design (www.pointbdesign.com).
-
SJET was initiated by Skylar Tibbits, as a catalogue and source of inspiration for work in experimental computation + design. SJET remains open to growing opportunities that provide for investigation in architecture & design, fabrication, computer science, robotics, media, art, electronics, fashion...
SJET is a direct result of an endless search for more.
Education:
BArch : Philadelphia University
Current : Dual Degree: MIT
Masters : Design Computation
Masters : Computer Science
Work Experience:
Point b design
Asymptote Architecture
Zaha Hadid Architects
SKIII Space Variations
Skylar has partnered with Marc Fornes, THEVERYMANY (www.theverymany.net), since 2007 after co-curating Scriptedbypurpose, (www.scriptedbypurpose.net), an exhibition on explicit and encoded processes within design.
Email: SJET [at] sjet.us
SJET has been featured on/in:
SEED Magazine : Revolutionary Minds, April 2008 http:revminds.seedmagazine.com www.theverymany.net www.scriptedbypurpose.net www.dezeen.com
www.notcot.org http://blog.wired.com http://generatorx.no/ http://dataisnature.com/ http://aesthetechtonik.com/ http://node08.vvvv.org/ www.boingboing.net www.suckerpunchdaily.com www.archinect.com www.archispass.org/ www.fffound.com www.stumbleupon.com www.pinc.us http://blog.noahkalina.com http://livearchitecture.net/ http://blog.chaotic.co.uk http://andreagraziano.blogspot.com http://dimitrie.wordpress.com www.solidsmack.com www.core.form-ula.com www.rightbrainterrain.com
Many thanks for the generous support from our material/fabrication/software sponsors who have made all of this possible:
Alliance Metals Inc.
Todd Roberts & Bill Yorston
( www.alliancemetals.com )
Continental Signs :
CNC Fabrication
Mark, Andrea and Jared Laucks
( www.continentalsigns.net )
Quadrant EPP : Advanced Engineering Plastics
Kress Schwartz
( www.quadrantepp.com )
Harbec Plastics:
Rapid Protoyping
Bob Bechtold
( www.harbec.com)
Anyline Laser cutting
Jose Gonzalez
Michael Szivos
(www.anyline-ny.com)
TDM Solutions
(www.tdmsolutions.com)
-
