What we did:We built the Oh, Snap! fabrication pipeline, which magnetically connects 3D-printed objects equipped with passive sensing structures to conventional electronics.
What we found:We found that our approach reliably establishes a usable electrical connection for capacitive sensing, is independent of user and multiple attachment cycles, and is perceived as easy and robust by users.
Takeaway:We contribute a practical solution for creating interactive 3D-printed objects without the need for time-consuming assembly, thus enhancing rapid prototyping capabilities in Human-Computer Interaction.
Abstract
3D printing has revolutionized rapid prototyping by speeding up the creation of custom-shaped objects. With the rise of multi-material 3D printers, these custom-shaped objects can now be made interactive in a single pass through passive conductive structures. However, connecting conventional electronics to these conductive structures often still requires time-consuming manual assembly involving many wires, soldering or gluing. To alleviate these shortcomings, we propose : a fabrication pipeline and interfacing concept to magnetically connect a 3D-printed object equipped with passive sensing structures to conventional sensing electronics. To this end, utilizes ferromagnetic and conductive 3D-printed structures, printable in a single pass on standard printers. We further present a proof-of-concept capacitive sensing board that enables easy and robust magnetic assembly to quickly create interactive 3D-printed objects. We evaluate by assessing the robustness and quality of the connection and demonstrate its broad applicability by a series of example applications.
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We built Trilaterate, a fabrication pipeline that enables users to 3D print custom objects capable of detecting hover, touch, and force interactions through embedded capacitive sensors.
We designed and built two interaction concepts, Bring Your Own Information and Bring Your Own Tool, utilizing 3D printed tangible objects for enhanced interaction on touch-enabled surfaces.
