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Kinematics System
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Nervous System
Kinematics System
A graphic of how the Kinematics system could apply to a dress
Nervous System were tasked by Motorola’s Advanced Technology and Projects group to create in-person customisation experiences for desktop 3D printers available in many homes. They ended up coming up with a lot more than just in-person customisation, the project Kinematics could revolutionise the printing of large-scale objects.
The Kinematics system can take any three-dimensional shape and turn it into a flexible structure. The system produces designs composed of 10’s to 1000’s of unique components that interlock to construct dynamic, mechanical structures. Each component is rigid, but in aggregate they behave as a continuous fabric. Though made of many distinct pieces, these designs require no assembly. Instead the hinge mechanisms are 3D printed in-place and work straight out of the machine.
The example they use in the video above shows a dress of thousands of interlocking shapes. A dress this size would be too large to fit inside most 3D printers’ build envelope, however the system means that the dress is flexible and flowing the hinged interlocked parts can flow, so using simulation the dress can be scrunched up to fit inside the build envelope. Once the printed ball is complete it can be unfurled to reveal the full dress, just like you’ve got it from the washing machine.
While the system obviously has benefits for the printing of larger objects in smaller build areas Nervous System are showing how the interlocking designs work fantastically for jewellery printed off, both in the home and in a bureau.
The Massachusetts studio have released two customisable WebGL apps; the first, Kinematics @ Home, allows you to take a pick of three different types of bracelets, choose your size and then customise the shape. You are then granted a free download to print off at home. The second app, Kinematics, allows you to pick two necklaces, a bracelet or earrings, with more customisations and a sliding scale price range ready to be printed in polished nylon for a fully 3D printed consumer product.
The two 3D printing fashion and jewellery apps plus the creation of the Kinematics System shows off Nervous in exceptional light as innovators at the forefront of a fledling technology. We highly recommend you try out the apps, we will be downloading and printing an STL when we’re back in the office after Euromold.
