![\"\"](\"http:\/\/mikelberman.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/dowel.jpg\" "\\"dowel\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nThere were also instructables on the graph pivoter that I was describing to my group members…<\/p>\n
I really responded to Juri’s idea of a surface that would let a user interact with someone who is far away.\u00a0 As some of you know, my girlfriend is in Holland, and as great as video chatting may be, it lacks physicality – sometimes you just need an embrace, or more simply, a hand to hold.<\/p>\n
The 3d pin model I’ve had as a kid is still impressive visually, and I’d love to figure out how to read in a 3d shape, process it and update one of these pin sculptures to the specifications of the original shape.<\/p>\n
After asking around at ITP, it seems I found something everyone seemed very interested in, but also weary of at the same time.<\/p>\n
I propose to first figure out a system that would render a matrix of cylinders by scanning across and updating each cylinder (this is a lower resolution version of the pin model).\u00a0 This means I have to fabricate a machine that can pivot across two dimensions, and then modify the third.<\/p>\n
I’m confident that the 3d representation of the data in processing would translate well to the resultant grid, but the actuation of the grid is still the problem.\u00a0 Since this is a realtime activity, refresh rate is an important factor in making a plausible device but the quicker it is, the more costly it becomes.<\/p>\n
Matt Parker, a 2nd year ITPer, has a similar vision for his final project last year, so he had much to say about pitfalls & servos.\u00a0 As well as insight on the threaded z-axis shaft I was pondering how to implement.<\/p>\n