Jeremy Paton - MArch Part 5 - Winter Portfolio

TASK_1 WITH MUNEER K. AL-KIZIM

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INTRODUCTION AN OBJECT’S DYNAMISM IN SPACE-TIME OBJECT: MOTHERBOARD A printed circuit board containing the principal components of a computer or other device, with connectors for other circuit boards to be slotted into.

- Oxford English Dictionary

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e began our investigation of our chosen object by producing a comprehensive documentation of the motherboard. Unlike many of the other available objects the motherboard presented a wide range of challenges, primarily the high degree of intricacy of the circuitry. However, another challenge emerged during our initial investigation, which was the lack of a perceptible ‘dynamism’. If the whisk’s dynamism was partly characterised by its kinetic energy in operation, the dynamism of the motherboard is slightly more subtle and cannot be immediately perceived.

The motherboard is an object which represents significant potential energy. Therefore, in order to express the embedded dynamism of the motherboard in terms of: the electric energy which circulates the object whilst in operation, its complexity and its ability to bridge the physical environment with the virtual environment, we produced a series of analogue, digital and 3 dimensional models which visually expressed these imperceptible characteristics.

Right: Analysis of the motherboard’s components 3

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Umberto Boccioni Development of a Bottle in Space, 1968

Tullio Crali Assalto di motori, 1968

Robert Delaunay Rythme n°1, 1938

ANALOGUE

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n researching Boccioni’s “Development of a Bottle in Space” we also studied the works of Tullio Crali, an Italian artist who produced works in the style of Futurism such as, Assalto di motori (1968). In addition, we studied Robert Delaunay who’s works originated in Cubism but later evolved into Orphism, which was concerned with the expression and significance of sensation, as expressed through the pure lyrical abstraction using geometric shapes and vivid colour. Both of these artists works expressed technology, speed, movement, colour and geometry.

The drawing on the right is the final analogue output for Task 1. The work represents a diagrammatic, hierarchical deconstruction of the motherboard, which is framed by a radial pattern, which expresses the complexity of the motherboard. Emerging from the motherboard is a pattern which is similar to the arrangement of the motherboard bus lines. These lines ‘bridge’ the mind of the figure of Einstein, illustrated at the top of the drawing, with the central processing socket of the motherboard. The work furthermore, has a hidden characteristic which is that of a series of perforations in the black card which allow light to emerge through, revealing the ‘hidden dynamism’ contained within the motherboard.

The drawing was intended to express the potential which the motherboard has, to link the psyche and the physical environment with the virtual environment. A boundary which is constantly being blurred with new technological developments, such as virtual reality and augmented reality, using equipment such as the Oculus Rift and Microsoft’s HoloLens. Furthermore, the subtle spiritual quality of the drawing was not unplanned — the use of gold for the radial pattern, reminiscent of a halo within religious iconography was selected to emphasise this characteristic. The work attempts to question whether technology has become a new form of spirituality, as globally, societies shift their foundations from religion to science and technology.

Right:

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Drawing depicting the dynamism of a motherboard

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Particle simulations in Houdini FX 7

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Dye/Ink Tubes are filled with opaque or translucent ink, alternatively PC water cooling dyes can be used.

Clear Acrylic Resin Stereolithography (SLA) 3D printed 50mm block

Hollow Tubes 2mm hollow tubes are used to generate an intricate internal form, which expresses the layered networks found within circuitry such as, a motherboard.

50 mm

FABRICATION RESEARCH

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ur initial digital prototyping was focused on the embedded complexity of the motherboard’s circuitry. The prototype digital model was designed to test the limitations of 3D Printing, which we had available. Test models were printed using FFF (fused filament fabrication) which was favourable due to its cost, however, SLA (stereolithography apparatus) was selected do to its higher resolution and transparent finish*. Early on we decided to work with negative space models, rather than positive space models. This afforded us the capacity to model highly detailed networks without requiring support structures.

The objective of the digital model was to express the complexity of the motherboard as a network of filaments arranged in 3D space, so as to generate new shapes and forms when viewed from different angles.

The internal tubes within the prototype model would then be filled with dye after polishing the resin cube to a transparent finish. The dye would improve the viability of the complex network embedded within the cube.

*Jeremy Paton has continued to explore transparent 3D printing possibilities using FFF/FDM printing material such as ColorFabb’s HT_Clear material. FDM results in prints that are roughly 50% cheaper than SLA.

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Prototype Visualisation

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SLA 3D Printed Object in Resin

SLA 3D Printed Object in Resin

Top view

Side view with dye filled tubes

SLA 3D Printed Object in Resin

SLA 3D Printed Object in Resin

Side view

Side view with dye filled tubes

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Termination Height Tubes should not terminate below their origin height

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Tube Diameter 1

Tubes should not be larger than 2mm to ensure the are printed hollow

Embedded Reservoir The inclusion of a small reservoir built into the artefact will significantly improve the consistency of the dye. The principle fits well with the overall theme as it borrows from the designs of modern PC water-cooling systems.

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FINAL ARTEFACT

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ue to difficulties we experienced trying to print models with completely hollow tubes, which would facilitate dye being passed through this network of tubes, we decided to reproduce the model using a laser cutter.

The digital model was passed into a slicing software which generated the layers which would be cut on clear acrylic.

The final results were better than we predicted and the clear acrylic resulted in an exceptionally transparent object.

The final artefact continues our narrative of exploring the complexity which is inherit within the motherboard yet, expands on our ideas of hidden and revealed forms when viewed at different angles. The final model illustrates the temporal nature of the information held within the motherboard which is the essence of the dynamism of a motherboard.

This result was a considered development emerging from our exploration of the visual theories of the Futurists and Orphic Cubists, who sought to express the true nature of the object through the inclusion of a sense of time and dynamism using multiple view points.

Right: Visualisation of the final model 13

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TASK_2 WITH MUNEER K. AL-KIZIM

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INTRODUCTION THE DYNAMISM OF THE ORGANISM-IN-ITS-ENVIRONMENT ORGANISM: CORAL

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or task two our chosen organism was coral, we had gravitated towards corals out of interest in how the organism adapts to its surroundings by altering its local environment with the formation of calcium carbonate.

Due to the colonial nature of corals this local change is perceptible at vast scales in the formations we refer to as coral reefs. We were also particularly interested in the wide variations of forms which corals produce and what environmental factors contribute to these forms.

We initially started by cataloguing the types of corals based on their taxonomy. The primary three orders of corals are: Hexacorallia, Octocorallia and Ceriantharia. Each order consists of a set of sub-classes.

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Hexacorallia

Hexacorallia

Scleractinia - Hard Corals

Corallimorpharia

Hexacorallia

Hexacorallia

Actiniaria - Sea Anemones

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Hexacorallia

Octocorallia

Zoanthids (Zoantharia)

Coenothecalia (Helioporacea)

Octocorallia

Octocorallia

Pennatulacea - Sea pens

Helioporacea - Soft Coral

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Ceriantharia

Ceriantharia

Spirularia - Firework Anemone

Penicillaria - Tube-dwelling Anemones

Actiniaria Antipatharia Hexacorallia

Corallimorpharia Scleractinia Zoantharia Alcyonacea

Anthozoa

Octocorallia

Helioporacea Pennatulacea

Ceriantharia

Penicillaria Spirularia

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DIGITAL VERISIMILITUDES

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nlike in Task 1, in which we had the physical object present, the lack of a physical representation of the organism in Task 2 presented a predicament in terms of analysing the spacial, physical and material qualities of the organism. Without a tangible representation of the organism, we were concerned that our analysis and perceptions of the organism would be incomplete and therefore our final artefact would not be a comprehensive representation of the organisms dynamism.

To resolve this we decided to explore methods to generate digital coral-like objects which we could manufacture through 3D printing and CNC. The first prototype included writing a growth simulation algorithm which utilises a randomly generated point cloud of particles which represent nutrients. These particles move as if suspended in water. The algorithm generates a starting branch at a set coordinate, the initial branch splits in the direction of the nearest particle. Spiting is controlled by two parameters, a Nearest Distance and a Max Distance. By altering these parameters an operator can control the density of the final model. The branches are then divided into a point cloud and each point is given a weighting value based on its location within the array of branches. This weighting value is utilised in an iso-meshing process to determine the thickness of each branch.

The iso-meshing process produces a 3D printable .obj file.

By employing this program we were able to generate many variations of coral-like structures, which we 3D printed, in order to have physical models to help inform our analysis of coral.

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Reaction Diffusion Frames of a reaction diffusion system

REACTION DIFFUSION

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e decided to explore the potential opportunities which reaction diffusion systems could generate as a method to illustrate the chemical reactions found within the coral. In researching corals we found that some coral polyps secrete calcium carbonate (limestone) to form a protective skeleton around itself, known as the corallite.

What exactly is reaction diffusion? Briefly, reaction diffusion is a physical processes that exhibits motion comparable to a wave-front based off an initial seed of points inside a closed system. In the 1950’s Russian Scientists Beloussov and Zhabotinsky discovered that reaction diffusion systems exhibit an interesting property in that when wave-fronts meet, they do not add together to form a superposition, but rather nullify eachother, creating a void space.

Stephen Wolfram defined a system of classes of complexity which explain the degree of organisation that a closed system will reach on its own accord. Reaction diffusion exists in the highest class, class 4: patterns reach extreme complexity, but remain in a state of perpetual evolution. The patterns which emerge are never fully resolved.

The graph on the right illustrates what the outcome will look like based on two parameters, F (Flow Rate) of particles (the vertical parameter), and k (kill Rate) of particles (the horizontal parameter). This ultimately means that the reaction diffusion process is deterministic.

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A B A

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Chemical A is added at a given “feed” rate.

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B A

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Reaction: two Bs convert an A into B, as if B reproduces using A as food.

B B Chemical B is removed at a given “kill” rate.

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Left: 3D Printed coral-like structure on CNC model 36

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FABRICATION RESEARCH

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n order to fabricate physical artefacts, which were generated by a reaction diffusion system, we utilised recursive displacement mapping in Cinema 4D to generate a closed-loop displacement map which was applied to a plain with a given dimension.

The outputs from Cinema 4D were ideal for CNC models and the limitations of the CNC machine could be setup within Cinema 4D as parameters such as surface size, max-wave-height and min-wave-height.

We specifically chose to CNC plaster blocks as we felt that this material gave the best representation of the calcium carbonate structures (corallites) which the coral polyps produce.

Alternatives models were 3D Printed, based upon a separate system of extracting the frames of a reaction diffusion system within a Grasshopper scheme, which can produce a mesh based on slices of images, similar to an MRI scan. However, the outputs are still being printed and therefore won’t be referenced in this portfolio.

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INTER-CRIT ARTEFACT

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he goal for this artefact was to incorporate the results of our studies.

Therefore, we scaled up the reaction diffusion system for the artefact. Throughout our investigations of the coral we determined that our artefact should represent the following characteristics of coral: • The polyp’s production of calcium carbonate • The boundary between the organism and its environment • The nature of the organisms’ environment To express the production of the calcium carbonate we utilised the experiments with reaction diffusion systems which produced results that reflected the spacial, temporal and material qualities of the calcium carbonate and its production. These qualities are expressed in the CNC plaster model.

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In order to differentiate between the organism and its environment we employed magnetic iron-filings on the surface of the CNC plaster model.

The filings rest in suitable locations along the contours of the CNC plaster model similar to the coral polyps requiring a suitable environment to grow in, one that is not too deep or too shallow.

Finally, we made use of a magnetic pendulum suspended above the model to represent the dynamism of the organisms environment. The pendulum’s motion represents the state of flux which is found in the oceans and the magnetic filings react to these changes by breaking apart and moving to new regions of the model as the pendulum oscillates.

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YORK

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Negative Spaces and Urban Fabric

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Sound Profiles

Religious

Transport

Civic

Retail

Education

Offices

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Misc/Residential

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City Walls

City Tour Route

Minster

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City Walls

Merchant Taylors’ Hall

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Bridge St

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Piccadilly Road Site

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Fishergate Bar

Site:

Characteristics:

A series of industrial buildings and a disused office tower straddle the River Foss.

The site is an industrial island, isolated by Piccadilly Road and the River Foss. Whilst the buildings on the site are mostly in disrepair, disused, used as garages or the occasional antiquated furniture shop. The site is unique in its scale and is unencumbered by significant neighbouring buildings, most of which are situated across the Foss such as the York Castle Museum and York Crown Court.

• Noise Pollution • Air Pollution • Damp • Indusrtial Heritage • Abandoned

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• ‘Soulless’

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Whilst Piccadilly Road is particularly busy it presents a unique opportunity to link the site with the city center. Taking advantage of this road will be a high priorty within my programme for the site.

• Impermeable Boundaries

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TASK_3 WITH TIRION ENGLISH

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INTRODUCTION A DEVICE TO ARTICULATE THE SENSES QUALITY: UNINHABITED SENSE OF “SOULLESSNESS” SENSE: INTERNAL-STATE / EMOTION / HEART-BEAT

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fter having visited York and choosing ours sites, this task required us to design and construct a device which would articulate a chosen quality of the site and enhance a chosen sensory input such as, site or audition of the participant/observer.

This chosen quality was to be qualitative, with the aim of the device being to inform an independent observer of this spatial-temporal quality. The device was further required to respond to an input, to invoke a behaviour and promote an output.

Initially working independently yet subsequently paired up with Tirion due to the overlapping ideas we had about our sites, as well as their proximity to one another within the city of York.

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INITIAL SITE INVESTIGATION

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or the initial quality of the site Tirion began thinking about was how easy it is to orientate yourself within the site, yet not only within the site itself but also within the adjacent areas and York City as a whole.

Tirion then developed these ideas in terms of how our mind, body and environment each have characteristics which allow you to orientate yourself both spatially and ideologically. Once Tirion and I were working together we expanded this idea in terms of exploring and representing ones internal-state (emotion) whilst within a site.

Each drawing represents one of these key ideas.

The drawing on the right represents the environment, as, for example key landmarks are shown, such as the old castle which provides a reference point when on the site, always being visible. Further, it’s historic nature provides clues as to a the site’s place in history. The existence of two rivers allows you to orientate yourself within York more broadly. As does the flow of pedestrian traffic.

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his drawing, representing the mind, conceptualises our ability to categorize, understand key events are hypothetical alternate realities, as well as our ability to plan. All of these things enabling our ability to orientate ourselves within space and time.

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his drawing conceptualises how our body enables us to orientate.

Here it recognizes how we see, understand light and dark, can hear, process depth, futhermore it shows how our hormones and heartbeat.

Thus how we experience a place, also contributes to how we orientate ourselves in space and time. These ideas which went on to inform the development of our device.

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hen paired with Tirion, one of the overlapping ideas we wanted to explore was the role of our emotions in experiencing a place or space. This became our interest due to the uncontrollable, and potentially unconscious affect this may have on how we experience a place, overlaying our own memories and current experiences enables us to label places as pleasant or unpleasant, fuelling either a desire to stay or a desire for flight.

It further drew on the fact that both our sites can be describes as soulless or uninhabited, and therefore not comfortable to be in.

This is expressed here (Left) with the hand drawn elements symbolising the areas around the site as being inhabited and humane, whilst the computer drawn site’s lack soul. The two colours symbolise that our core emotions are unpleasant or pleasant, and this is something we are always detecting and projecting on spaces.

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n trying to understand how the emotional state may be evaluated, as well as referencing the soulless nature of the sites, we began exploring how the heartbeat may link the two ideas, allowing us to infuse soul into our work, whilst simultaneously measure a personal experience. To begin, this was done digitally, with the use of a heartbeat sensor, an Arduino and Processing.

Two variations of how the heart beat were measured and sketched in processing, in developing our understanding of how to use the heartbeat to create an output and influence the participants in order to illicit an emotional change generating a potential feedback loop.

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CONCEPTS

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n considering the types of devices we could create using the heartbeat to inform an output, various ideas were put forward, such as making a drawing machine which uses a fan to blow a pen around, with the speed of the fan responding to the heartbeat.

Another idea considered was building a pottery wheel, for which the speed of the rotation was dictated by the heartbeat. The participants heartbeat would be measured as they are required to form an artefact out of clay, however, the speed of the wheel would be out of the users direct control. This lack of control would possibly alter the final modelled form.

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FINAL DEVICE

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or our final device we utilised the experience we gained from using the Arduino and Processing experimentations to construct a CNC (Computer numerical control) plotting device, which would utilise the heartbeat as an input source. The heart beat would alter the state of a suspended pen and the heart rate BPM (Beats per minute) would alter the speed at which the devices bed would rotate at.

The design of the device was inspired by 3D Printers and CNC machines and due to the level of accuracy required for the device to perform correctly we tackled the construction of the device from a primarily functional perspective. The device was constructed out of laser cut mdf and acrylic and used an Arduino Mega 2560 to control two NEMA 17 stepper motors used to rotate the bed and move the pen across the linear rails. A servo was utilised within the pen bracket to lift the pen up. Finally two stepper drivers were utilised to connect the motors to the Arduino. The hearbeat was measured using a pulsesonsor unit which consists of a bright LED and an IR receiver as the blood cells in the finger or earlobe dilate which blood the amount of light which the IR receiver sensors reduces.

DEVICE OUTPUTS Initially we started by using a pen to plot a spiral-like pattern on black card, the pattern illustrates the heartbeats in gold ink and the density of the pattern alters as the heart rate fluxes. These outputs of the device provided us a basic proof-of-concept for the machine and facilitated us to experiment with other medium.

Taking on board the early suggestions by the tutors to attempt to carve the heart beat into a material, resulting in a tangible object imbued with the trace of a participants emotion or ‘soul’. To achieve this we investigated methods of using the device to engraving onto a chosen material. We decided on plaster as once the plaster sets the output is a satisfactory physical object which once painted black is reminiscent of a vinyl record, with the subjects internal-state stored on the object. The plaster also provides a more tactile object.

Arduino Mega 2560

Pulsesensor

Right: Final device in plotting state 59

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Jeremy Paton

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Tirion English

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