'CardBoardiZer' Allows Users to Create Robotic Models in Minutes, Video

The models can then be motorized using a commercial product called Ziro, which grew out of work in the Purdue lab. Ziro uses motorized “joint modules” equipped with wireless communicators and micro-controllers. The user controls the robotic creations with hand gestures while wearing a wireless “smart glove.”

“We want everybody to become more artistic, to democratize the interfaces and accessibility of these tools so that they are more universally accessible and to lower the barriers to entry of designing and making these kinds of more sophisticated models,” he said.

The system converts objects into flat versions similar to a tailor’s dress patterns.

“And then I can cut it, fold it and give it motion where I want,” said Ramani, who has been teaching a popular toy design class at Purdue for 18 years, refining ways to make toys both educational and fun.

The prototype technique represents a potential alternative to, and overcomes the limitations of, 3-D printing.

“I can make a dinosaur this big,” he said, holding his arms out wide. “With 3-D printing you’ll be spending one month printing it, but CardBoardiZer works quickly with standard cardboard, wood or sheet metal.”

The system was inspired by a do-it-yourself “makers” movement and has a design focus.

“Our geometric simplification algorithm can generate cardboardized models with a few folds, making it easy for children to fold and at the same time retaining a shape that the user desires,” said Yunbo Zhang, a postdoctoral research associate who led the project in the C Design Lab.

Ramani is a co-founder and chief scientist of the company ZeroUI (www.zeroui.com), which produces Ziro (ziro.io). The company is in the Purdue Research Park and in San Jose, California.

Ziro was recently showcased during the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, where it was named a “Best at CES 2016 Finalist” by Engadget.

Contacts and sources:
Writer: Emil Venere,
 Karthik Ramani
Purdue University

The CardBoardiZer system is described in a paper presented during the ACM CHI 2016 conference,   in San Jose, California (https://chi2016.acm.org/wp/). CHI stands for computer-human interaction. A copy of the paper is available at https://engineering.purdue.edu/cdesign/wp/cardboardizer-creatively-customize-articulate-and-fold-3d-mesh-models/.