This week we got to work with both the 3D scanners using iSense and MeshMixer to reshape the people that were scanned. I didn’t necessarily work with the scanners too much during this past class session because I was already familiar with them after manning the scanning station at the 3D Printing Expo we held in the atrium a few weeks ago. Because of this, I let other people learn how to use the scanners, too. I had not used MeshMixer, though, when I was working the station. And that was certainly helpful to learn about this past class session. Since we had been doing scans of people’s bodies, MeshMixer allows for us to reshape rough edges that were picked up by the scanner. MeshMixer would allow for us to actually give depth to people’s eyes as well as smooth out the rough parts of where the scan came together on the back of someone’s head. Just basic things to clean up the overall image.

I found this software very useful for future scanning. I once received a 3D printed version of myself during a 3D printing expo held in BIF and just remember it looked like a very pixelated version of me. As if I was being carved into Mount Rushmore. With MeshMixer I can actually smooth out rough edges like my ears, nose, and stray hairs that the scanner picked up. MeshMixer simply allows us to create more accurate versions of our scans or do something completely crazy like combine body parts of different animals. Still not sure why that was a necessary feature someone thought to throw in there, but it definitely showcases MeshMixer’s capabilities.

For the future, I think scanning and 3D printing go hand-in-hand. That objects we’d like to re-create can be easily duplicated by scanning them and cleaning up the image in MeshMixer. The software may even become obsolete if scanners become more developed and increase their accuracy.

This past Monday, we were taught by the awesome guest speaker Mitch Altman who is an engineering alumnae of UIUC and inventor of TV-B-Gone. He allowed for us to practice with soldering to create our Trippy RGB waves kit, capable of portraying light flashes in a sequenced pattern. 

Mitch says he uses these models to teach kids about electronics and engineering, which I thought was pretty cool. I had also never really heard of soldering before until this lesson, and didn’t even think about how each component was attached to the main frame. Through this lesson, I was able to properly use the soldering iron and attach all of the pieces myself. The most interesting thing I found about the process was that the soldering iron seemed to be a very basic tool, that was probably even used for decades if not centuries beforehand for various activities. I was pretty afraid to use it since I don’t really trust myself with tools like that, but Mitch’s guidance made me feel a lot more comfortable. His helpful tips like dragging the iron along the board helped me a lot as a first time user.

Going forward, I now know how to use the soldering iron and am able to make inferences on piecing together my own Trippy RGB waves kit. I find that after working with sensors in the FabLab as well as these kits, I’ve become very interested in sensory material and how it can be transmitted to either turning a light on and off or a motor run. Though this is not technology I plan to use in my final semester project, I am very curious as to what other uses we may possibly have for it. I just find it so interesting how something that seems so complex is actually really simple when you get down to the basics. Is this the same kind of technology used in our smartphones? Or is it at least somehow relative? I think I’ll do more research on this, just for fun.

Due to some confusion, this post is a little bit late.

This past week we had returned to the FabLab and got to work in a different section than we had the week before. This week, I was able to work with the digital embroidery machines and discovered how to take an image and digitally stitch it. With Suzanne’s help, I was able to understand the software, SewArt, to be able to complete my design.

Here is a video of the digital sewing machines in action:

At first, I had accidentally selected the wrong areas to be printed which completely messed up my design. Thankfully, the software is so easy to use that I was able to go back and re-select everything to ensure it was “printed” properly. This worked, and you can see the before and after image below.

I had no idea how these detailed stitch-images were created until learning about them at the FabLab. These technologies must have revolutionized the textile industry in cutting costs, re-allocating labor, and increasing its production outputs. I didn’t even know that there were digital sewing machines like the ones we had used to create our designs (since I had only used my mom’s electric sewing machine before). These technologies allow people to further pursue their creativity without the obstacles of hand-stitching and improper design tools.

Going further, I don’t expect to use these technologies in my final project. Not because I don’t want to (since I really like them!) but because they just won’t be relevant for my specific project. However, I would still like to use the digital embroidery services for my own personal use and am interested in coming up with and printing unique designs.

This past class we visited the FabLab down in the South Quad. After wandering my way over there and 3 failed attempts to get into the building, I was able to visit the FabLab for the first time ever. I have to say, it’s quite an eclectic place. There are so many projects you can work on, no matter what your interests. And I loved how it was open to the community and doesn’t focus on making profits.

After touring the space and seeing all of the different stations – everything from screen printing, to fabric printing, to electronics – I got a better understanding of the purpose of the FabLab. I was very impressed by the space, and even more so by what people have come up with. I found the fabric station (and robotic-sewing machines) quite interesting. But I ended up spending most of my time in the Arduinos area with Colten Jackson as our instructor.

Arduinos basically uses coding to get electronics to do what you want. We practiced by figuring out how to set up the wiring of the board and experimented with the coding. At first, we made a light switch on and off at whatever frequency we set it to. Then, we worked with a motor and were able to experiment with the frequency and degrees to which it would turn. Finally, we were able to play with touch sensors – so that depending on how hard we were touching a certain wire, the motor would respond based on the touch sensor.

As someone who has never worked with electronics and has only gone as far in coding as HTML5, SQL, and SAS – I find Arduinos fascinating. I understand what we had worked on was elementary compared to what can really be done with the technology, but it’s meant to be that way to get younger kids interested in the technology at an early age. And I’m okay being at the same level as a 10 year old.

I wanted to experiment on my own with the technology. I had tried to set it so that every time I had touched the sensor, not only would the motor go off but the light would as well. After multiple trial & errors, I sought help from my more experienced classmates. Turns out it’s not as simple as copying and pasting a single line of text and calling it a day. Both Toheeb and Elaine were able to help me out with this, and after a little experimentation my sensor was also able to produce light when I touched it as well as make the motor turn.

Going forward, I’d like to work with Arduinos a little more to see what else the technology is capable of. Still not too certain about my semester project, but I am open to the idea of working with Arduinos again in the near future.

The past two weeks have been filled with a lot of Fusion 360 Tutorials. On Monday, February 15th, Lucas Ewing of Autodesk joined us for our first tutorial and showed us how to build the tip of a mechanical pencil. I actually had great difficulty keeping up with his tutorial since it was my first time using the software. But after a little one-on-one help I realized my main problem was that I didn’t understand the controls of moving around the 3-dimensional space. That helped tremendously.

When I went home I was able to practice a bit on my own using another Autodesk tutorial. I had made a bolt, and surprisingly I didn’t have nearly as many difficulties as I did when trying to make the tip of the mechanical pencil.

This past Monday, the 22nd, Gina Taylor and Nicole Chimienti demonstrated a tutorial for how to build a lamp. This seemed a lot more complicated, so I’m glad we had people to guide us through on how to do it. I learned a lot of valuable information when it came to using the software: like the difference between push/pull and extrude. This was also my first time using the design tools and took my abstract lamp idea and turned it into a plausible design idea.

These past two sessions and the on-our-own session in place of a reflection last week have certainly made me more comfortable with the software. Though I certainly don’t consider myself to be an expert any time soon, I am content with the amount of knowledge I have obtained within the past few weeks. I’m not really used to hands-on classes, so this style of teaching is very different to me. But so far I am really enjoying it!

In the next few weeks I’m hoping to become even better with the software. I need to start thinking of objects in the sense of how they can be designed in Fusion 360. When we first had our session with Lucas Ewing, his thought processes blew my mind in designing the mechanical pencil tip. I believe thinking in those terms will help me in my future semester project so that I can easily design whatever I’m going to make. Changing your thought process isn’t always easy, but that’s what learning is all about!