Geometer

Description

Geometer is a new design tool and form language mediating between the physical and digital world.
It is made to be understandable, communicable and dynamic.
-No black box, encouraging active participation and goal oriented design.
-Components open a channel for dialogue around relationships and patterns.
-Built-in system that encourages strength and freedom of form.

There are now four components to this project:
(1) A kit of robust physical and digital modules with unique names and specific geometry which can be combined arm to arm.
(2) A system of communicating the interactions of these components.
(3) A way to easily physically manufacture complex assemblies made up of modules, in a variety of materials reliably of considerable size.
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(4) 8/2020 Wasp for Grasshopper can generate random aggregations of modules,

Questions: wallfacerdesign@gmail.com

Details

This project was part of an Industrial Design Capstone (Senior) Project through Jefferson University, East Falls Campus in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Progress is ongoing.

Generated using Grasshopper and Rhino 3D:

Using open ended molds based on these reference modules, complex assemblies can be easily communicated, understood and manufactured.

Licensed under CERN OHL v.1.2 or later http://ohwr.org/cernohl

Geometer by David Troetschel is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at dtroetschel@hotmail.com.

Open Source Hardware Association Certification https://certification.oshwa.org/us000157.html

As of 8/2020 an effort to combine Geometer and Wasp has been started, in essence this was the missing component of our capstone project! Even with only three modules and no rules this is very powerful, check it out!

Files

GeometerForWaspV3_8102020.zip

Three working modules so far. You need to have Wasp installed. All other geometry is hidden from view but in the Rhino file for grasshopper to use.

x-zip-compressed - 599.40 kB - 08/10/2020 at 22:15

Download

Grasshopper Module Files Set 7.zip

Specific grasshopper files for each module.

x-zip-compressed - 652.22 kB - 12/26/2019 at 23:24

Download

Final Presentation (3).pdf

Delivered on 4/29/19 PDF version of powerpoint with guiding annotations.

Adobe Portable Document Format - 6.58 MB - 05/02/2019 at 18:11

Preview

Set 7 Filleted References.zip

Set 7 Filleted References

x-zip-compressed - 14.40 MB - 04/29/2019 at 14:23

Download

Set 7 Supporting Documentation.zip

Set 7 Supporting Documentation with updated license

x-zip-compressed - 10.79 MB - 04/29/2019 at 03:00

Download

Project Logs

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Wasp for Grasshopper
David Troetschel • 08/10/2020 at 22:06 • 0 comments

An individual named Andrea Rossi filled a critical gap in Geometer's progress and potential.
He has developed Wasp for discrete component aggregation modelling based off of simple to complex rule sets. What this means in essence is that combined Geometer components can be assembled/simulated automatically by Rhino and Grasshopper for a number of purposes.
At its most basic, random rules are applied to three of the twenty plus modules with a limit of one hundred and twenty-two elements.
As additional modules are added along with rules Geometer will become a robust problem solving tool for limited component set manufacturing.
An example; a vague form of a chair can be populated with Geometer components with individual component number restrictions, if you only have thirty "F" molds and thirteen "I" molds, you'll be able to tell the system that and solve for possible configurations within a given boundary region.
Stay tuned for enhanced functionality; a new library, grasshopper scripts and installation instructions.
Up to this point anyone could do what I've done, feel free to fork towards your own purpose!
Mentor Session
David Troetschel • 05/17/2019 at 15:39 • 0 comments

Since Geometer is participating in the Hackaday Prize I had the opportunity to present my work and get some feedback on potential directions. See a recording;
Senior Show Posters
David Troetschel • 05/02/2019 at 21:48 • 0 comments

And the actual posters:
Final presentation
David Troetschel • 05/02/2019 at 18:44 • 0 comments

On the 29th we completed our final (at school) capstone presentation.
Our powerpoint with annotations, is available in the downloads section.
A video recording is on youtube:
A higher quality version may follow.
Open Source Hardware Association Certification
David Troetschel • 05/02/2019 at 17:57 • 0 comments

We're officially certified now!
https://certification.oshwa.org/us000157.html
What a journey!
Set seven is the current release, let us know if you make anything cool or have questions!
Final presentation
David Troetschel • 04/29/2019 at 15:25 • 0 comments

Things have been crazy the last couple weeks since we've been preparing for our final senior presentation. Most of our time has been writing a cohesive narrative and figuring out things like financial simulations and build examples.

After we are done with everything we will do a time warp in the following days and update our project log.

Set 7 is live!

Set 7 is alive and well, stable modules in many formats ready to use! Share what you make!

Files may get sporadic updates and formatting in the next twenty-four hours or so. Licenses have been applied and registration for the OSHWA https://certification.oshwa.org/list.html is pending!

Of particular note are our example business model in the set 7 module directory and spreadsheet. One interesting estimation is that for a half million investment up to six million dollars profit can be made with a huge margin for safety if this system is adopted.

Final presentations, with hopefully a video and audio will also be available.

All set 7 modules rendered:

Mold to fabrication:
Renderings
David Troetschel • 04/09/2019 at 19:06 • 0 comments

Some renderings were made to further explore some preliminary designs:
Solidworks form finding
David Troetschel • 04/08/2019 at 14:45 • 0 comments

Mates definitely help speed up the digital form finding process.
An example of a wall light and then its transformation into a desktop model.
And then using the same structure to inspire a table, initially too small but slowly growing to have correct proportions.
There are overlaps and several gaps which presents us with a unique opportunity. We can make a small insert module to take up these 1/4-.5" gaps and such or we can follow along with the natural troubleshooting method of our modules by inserting more modules and expanding dimensions until things line up correctly. Fortunately we can more or less cut and past and reorganize until things work but its definitely an interesting design process. You have an intention and find a module which will approximate it but due to its constraints it naturally guides the form into a specific form factor or increment thereof.
More snap together modules
David Troetschel • 04/04/2019 at 17:20 • 0 comments

We still don't have one of each module since we added a few recently; expect file updates soon as fillets and molds are completed.

Interacting with the snap together modules is enjoyable though and we are quickly troubleshooting small problems:

Solidworks is interesting since the mate tool helps line up modules very quickly.
We also started a new bag of mycelium today to be ready for the final presentations.
Our older bag is looking a little funky now considering its been three weeks or so.
Kinda scary looking haha. So, we really need to stop wasting material and move it to molds or something.
Solidworks Form Finding
David Troetschel • 04/03/2019 at 15:42 • 0 comments

Using the mate tool in Solidworks assembly is very fast for form finding, although it is a little annoying to undo a mate if you change your mind often. A quick start file will be created for those with Solidworks 2017 or higher once module files are finalized.

We still haven't gotten to try out Mindesk for Solidworks since we do not have Solidworks 2019.

The above assembly took less than five minutes to put together.