The first weeks assignment protoype a final project idea while experiementing with different CAD software.
I began brainstorming ideas, but a project referencing my introduction to performance through tap dance has lingered in my mind for several years. The Responsive Environments group at the MIT Media Lab had a fantastic wearable “Expressive Footwear” project circa 2000. After looking further into the project, I was inspired to see if I could develop the original design using modern tools such as 3d printing. 3D printed footwear is getting incredibly populated, and it seems reasonable to predict a future in which 3D printers are as standard in the average household as 2D devices. I began researching what has been developed in the field and questioned how an individual could design their own 3d printed shoes custom to a high-fidelity model of one’s foot.
This week involved several beginner tutorials in SolidWorks, Fusion 360, Rhino, and Blender. I used both 2d and 3d CAD software to experiment with creating a prototype.
Frankly, I don’t have any knowledge of physical computing, which is limiting me from fully developing a final prototype. I am continuing to research in different types of sensors that would be useful for sonification (e.g., proximity and pressure) and how large those components are at a reasonable price. I don’t know if this is possible to build in a semester, but we will see where this goes!
