Integrating technology with the distinctive characteristics of craftsmanship has become a key issue in the field of digital craftsmanship. This paper introduces Layered Interactions, a design approach that seamlessly merges Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) technologies with traditional lacquerware craftsmanship. By leveraging the multi-layer structure and material properties of lacquerware, we embed interactive circuits and integrate programmable hardware within the layers, creating tangible interface that support diverse interactions. This method enhances the adaptability and practicality of traditional crafts in modern digital contexts. Through the development of a lacquerware toolkit, along with user experiments and semi-structured interviews, we demonstrate that this approach not only makes technology more accessible to traditional artisans but also enhances the materiality and emotional qualities of interactive interfaces. Additionally, it fosters mutual learning and collaboration between artisans and technologists. Our research introduces a cross-disciplinary perspective to the HCI community, broadening the material and design possibilities for interactive interfaces.
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3706598.3713599
We describe an artist residency program in which three professional American Indian potters experiment with the use of clay 3D printing in their practice. The artists navigate the opportunities and risks involved in blending 3D printing with Pueblo pottery. In our analysis, we introduce and examine three aspects of digital fabrication that impact professional practice: the practical, creative and conceptual. Practically, a digital fabrication machine may improve or worsen efficiency. Creatively, a machine can both expand and constrain the kinds of work artists can make. Finally, a machine can be conceptually significant; the use of the machine can change what a piece means and how it is perceived. We found that clay 3D printers: 1) are labor intensive to operate and do not improve efficiency; 2) can present new and compelling creative opportunities; 3) are conceptually fraught. The use of a 3D printer can profoundly change the way work is received and valued. We discuss the entangled mix of opportunity and risk that these aspects of clay 3D printing present.
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3706598.3713159
ColdGlass is a new material and workflow for accessible, affordable, and full-color glass 3D printing. We present: 1) a recipe for a 3D printable glass paste, 2) software and hardware that enable 3D printing, and 3) a firing schedule for sintering printed parts into solid glass. We evaluate our recipe and firing schedule by comparing the look, feel, shrinkage, porosity, and density of a collection of printed objects. We then present a range of functional and decorative glass artifacts that we 3D printed from ColdGlass including earrings, tiled glass sheets, sculptures, and functional vessels. We also describe methods for reusing and recycling glass in our workflow. We conclude by discussing the unique affordances of ColdGlass and the creative opportunities it provides for digital fabrication, design, and HCI.
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3706598.3714031
Multi-material 3D printing combines the functional properties of different materials (e.g., mechanical, electrical, color) within a single object that is fabricated without manual assembly. However, this presents sustainability challenges as multi-material objects cannot be easily recycled. Because each material has a different processing temperature, considerable effort must be used to separate them for recycling. This paper presents a computational fabrication technique to generate dissolvable interfaces between different materials in a 3D printed object without affecting the object’s intended use. When the interfaces are dissolved, the object is disassembled to enable recycling of the individual materials. We describe the computational design of these interfaces alongside experimental evaluations of their strength and water solubility. Finally, we demonstrate our technique across 9 multi-material 3D printed objects of varying structural and functional complexity. Our technique enables us to recycle 89.97% of the total mass of these objects, promoting greater sustainability in 3D printing.
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3706598.3714080
In response to ongoing environmental crises, the digital fabrication community within HCI has recently begun to design with biomaterials. Biomaterials and their corresponding practices carry eco-socio-technical relations that shape the creation of more sustainable futures. From this perspective, we present three entangled contributions: (1) a new, easy-to-make, 3D printable eggshell biomaterial, (2) a circular, material-centered practice for designing with the eggshell biomaterial, and (3) a reflection on the eco-socio-technical relations that the eggshell biomaterial and corresponding biomaterial practice reveal. We outline our design process for sourcing ingredients, developing a recipe, 3D printing artifacts, characterizing properties, and testing disposal methods. Through five provocative applications, we critically reflect on how our eggshell biomaterial practice surfaces unique eco-socio-technical relations. We envision this eggshell biomaterial extending the current material library for 3D printing and promoting circular digital fabrication practices, while also highlighting the importance of ecological awareness and community engagement in designing for sustainability.
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3706598.3714290
Users interact with static objects daily, but their preferences and needs may vary. Making the objects dynamic or adaptable requires updating all objects. Instead, we propose a novel wearable interface that empowers users to adjust perceived material properties. To explore such wearable interfaces, we design unit cell structures that can be tiled to create surfaces with switchable properties. Each unit can be switched between two states while worn, through an integrated bistable spring and tendon-driven trigger mechanism. Our switchable properties include stiffness, height, shape, texture, and their combinations. Our wearable material interfaces are passive, 3D printed, and personalizable. We present a design tool to support users in designing their customized wearable material properties. We demonstrate several example prototypes, e.g., a sleeve allowing users to adapt to how different surfaces feel, a shoe sole for users walking on different ground conditions, a prototype supporting both pillow and protective helmet properties, or a collar that can be transformed into a neck pillow with variable support.
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3706598.3714215
Creating custom artifacts with computer numerical control (CNC) milling machines typically requires mastery of complex computer-aided design (CAD) software. To eliminate this user barrier, we introduced Draw2Cut, a novel system that allows users to design and fabricate artifacts by sketching directly on physical materials. Draw2Cut employs a custom-drawing language to convert user-drawn lines, symbols, and colors into toolpaths, thereby enabling users to express their creative intent intuitively. The key features include real-time alignment between material and virtual toolpaths, a preview interface for validation, and an open-source platform for customization. Through technical evaluations and user studies, we demonstrate that Draw2Cut lowers the entry barrier for personal fabrication, enabling novices to create customized artifacts with precision and ease. Our findings highlight the potential of the system to enhance creativity, engagement, and accessibility in CNC-based woodworking.
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3706598.3714281