@article{5976, abstract = {We propose FlexMaps, a novel framework for fabricating smooth shapes out of flat, flexible panels with tailored mechanical properties. We start by mapping the 3D surface onto a 2D domain as in traditional UV mapping to design a set of deformable flat panels called FlexMaps. For these panels, we design and obtain specific mechanical properties such that, once they are assembled, the static equilibrium configuration matches the desired 3D shape. FlexMaps can be fabricated from an almost rigid material, such as wood or plastic, and are made flexible in a controlled way by using computationally designed spiraling microstructures.}, author = {Malomo, Luigi and Perez Rodriguez, Jesus and Iarussi, Emmanuel and Pietroni, Nico and Miguel, Eder and Cignoni, Paolo and Bickel, Bernd}, issn = {0730-0301}, journal = {ACM Transactions on Graphics}, number = {6}, publisher = {Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)}, title = {{FlexMaps: Computational design of flat flexible shells for shaping 3D objects}}, doi = {10.1145/3272127.3275076}, volume = {37}, year = {2018}, } @inproceedings{1001, abstract = {We present a computational approach for designing CurveUps, curvy shells that form from an initially flat state. They consist of small rigid tiles that are tightly held together by two pre-stretched elastic sheets attached to them. Our method allows the realization of smooth, doubly curved surfaces that can be fabricated as a flat piece. Once released, the restoring forces of the pre-stretched sheets support the object to take shape in 3D. CurveUps are structurally stable in their target configuration. The design process starts with a target surface. Our method generates a tile layout in 2D and optimizes the distribution, shape, and attachment areas of the tiles to obtain a configuration that is fabricable and in which the curved up state closely matches the target. Our approach is based on an efficient approximate model and a local optimization strategy for an otherwise intractable nonlinear optimization problem. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach for a wide range of shapes, all realized as physical prototypes.}, author = {Guseinov, Ruslan and Miguel, Eder and Bickel, Bernd}, location = {Los Angeles, CA, United States}, number = {4}, publisher = {ACM}, title = {{CurveUps: Shaping objects from flat plates with tension-actuated curvature}}, doi = {10.1145/3072959.3073709}, volume = {36}, year = {2017}, } @inproceedings{1097, abstract = {We present an interactive system for computational design, optimization, and fabrication of multicopters. Our computational approach allows non-experts to design, explore, and evaluate a wide range of different multicopters. We provide users with an intuitive interface for assembling a multicopter from a collection of components (e.g., propellers, motors, and carbon fiber rods). Our algorithm interactively optimizes shape and controller parameters of the current design to ensure its proper operation. In addition, we allow incorporating a variety of other metrics (such as payload, battery usage, size, and cost) into the design process and exploring tradeoffs between them. We show the efficacy of our method and system by designing, optimizing, fabricating, and operating multicopters with complex geometries and propeller configurations. We also demonstrate the ability of our optimization algorithm to improve the multicopter performance under different metrics.}, author = {Du, Tao and Schulz, Adriana and Zhu, Bo and Bickel, Bernd and Matusik, Wojciech}, location = {Macao, China}, number = {6}, publisher = {ACM}, title = {{Computational multicopter design}}, doi = {10.1145/2980179.2982427}, volume = {35}, year = {2016}, } @inproceedings{1099, abstract = {We present FlexMolds, a novel computational approach to automatically design flexible, reusable molds that, once 3D printed, allow us to physically fabricate, by means of liquid casting, multiple copies of complex shapes with rich surface details and complex topology. The approach to design such flexible molds is based on a greedy bottom-up search of possible cuts over an object, evaluating for each possible cut the feasibility of the resulting mold. We use a dynamic simulation approach to evaluate candidate molds, providing a heuristic to generate forces that are able to open, detach, and remove a complex mold from the object it surrounds. We have tested the approach with a number of objects with nontrivial shapes and topologies.}, author = {Malomo, Luigi and Pietroni, Nico and Bickel, Bernd and Cignoni, Paolo}, location = {Macao, China}, number = {6}, publisher = {ACM}, title = {{FlexMolds: Automatic design of flexible shells for molding}}, doi = {10.1145/2980179.2982397}, volume = {35}, year = {2016}, } @inproceedings{1364, abstract = {We present a computational method for designing wire sculptures consisting of interlocking wires. Our method allows the computation of aesthetically pleasing structures that are structurally stable, efficiently fabricatable with a 2D wire bending machine, and assemblable without the need of additional connectors. Starting from a set of planar contours provided by the user, our method automatically tests for the feasibility of a design, determines a discrete ordering of wires at intersection points, and optimizes for the rest shape of the individual wires to maximize structural stability under frictional contact. In addition to their application to art, wire sculptures present an extremely efficient and fast alternative for low-fidelity rapid prototyping because manufacturing time and required material linearly scales with the physical size of objects. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach on a varied set of examples, all of which we fabricated.}, author = {Miguel Villalba, Eder and Lepoutre, Mathias and Bickel, Bernd}, location = {Anaheim, CA, USA}, number = {4}, publisher = {ACM}, title = {{Computational design of stable planar-rod structures}}, doi = {10.1145/2897824.2925978}, volume = {35}, year = {2016}, }