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Hybrid Media

Media is constantly transforming, questioning traditional notions of what it means to be an author, what constitutes matter, and how messages are conveyed. Leveraging digital fabrication technologies and emerging smart materials, this research area explores the development of New Media practices including e-textiles, dynamic printmaking, and interactive glass.

  • E-Textiles – How might we enable new wearable form factors that move beyond wristbands and eyeglasses? How might we integrate and embed electronic materials onto the leather, canvas, and nylon?
  • Computational Textiles – How might we leverage computational design algorithms to enhance pattern-making practices? How might we support the construction of garments through smart dress forms?
  • E-Glass – Can we expand the forms and applications of electronic glass to practices like stained glass making? How might we make glass into an interactive surface?
  • Computational Glass – Can we construct a material model that allows us to better understand glass's behavior in processes like glass-blowing or slumping? Can we construct computational molds that expand the forms and aesthetics of glass? Can these techniques be ported over to plastics?
  • Smart Prints – How might we integrate smart materials like conductive, hydrophobic, or thermochromic inks to create dynamic and interactive printmaking practices?
  • Wood Carving and Pyrography – How might we use digital fabrication technologies to enhance and hybridize traditional woodcarving practices?
  • Electronic Ceramics – How might we use conductive glazes to create interactive ceramic forms?
  • Computational Ceramics – How might we use clay 3D printers to support and scaffold ceramic-making skills? How might we introduce editioning, or batch production, as a digital fabrication practice?
  • Mold Making/Casting – How might we support working with castable materials like silicone, wax, and plaster?

Associated Publications

DIS Companion 2016
LiveObjects
Leveraging Theatricality for an Expressive Internet of Things
Cesar Torres, Jasper OLeary, and Eric Paulos
CHI 2017
Illumination Aesthetics
Light as a Creative Material within Computational Design
Cesar Torres, Jasper OLeary, Molly Nicholas, and Eric Paulos
DIS 2019
Phosphenes
Crafting Resistive Heaters within Thermoreactive Composites
Cesar Torres, Jessica Chang, Advaita Patel, and Eric Paulos
UIST 2016
Aesthetic Electronics
Designing, Sketching, and Fabricating Circuits through Digital Exploration
Joanne Lo, Cesar Torres, Isabel Yang, Jasper OLeary, Mira Dontcheva, Wilmot Li, Danny Kaufman, and Eric Paulos
DIS 2020
Siloseam
A Morphogenetic Workflow for the Design and Fabrication of Inflatable Silicone Bladders
Hedieh Moradi, and Cesar Torres
CHI 2022
Embr
A Creative Framework for Hand Embroidered Liquid Crystal Textile Displays
Shreyosi Endow, Nasir Rakib, Anvay Srivastava, Sara Rastegarpouyani, and Cesar Torres
C&C 2023
Proto-Pack
A Procedural Modular Prototyping Toolkit for Sustainable Packaging Design
Cristian Munoz, Ben Dolezal, and Cesar Torres
DIS 2023
Thermoplastic Kilnforms
Extending Glass Kilnforming Techniques to Thermoplastic Materials using Ontology-Driven Design
Nasir Rakib, Jeremy Scidmore, Justin E Ginsberg, and Cesar Torres
ISAM 2023
ShatterModel
Leveraging Proxemics to Design Human-AI Interactions in Adverse Environments
Jacob Yank, Paul Park, Justin E Ginsberg, and Cesar Torres
ISAM 2023
Computational Slip Casting
Navigating Clay Practices within Digital Fabrication
Ciara Sorrells, and Cesar Torres
ISAM 2023
Castura
A Versatile Silicone Microtexture Fabrication Technique Using Laser-Engraved Micromolds
Marisa Fernandez, and Cesar Torres
C&C 2024
[UG Symposium] Trace to Touch
Eliciting Gestures from Capacitive Touch Electrodes
Gunnika Kapoor, Aarti Darji, and Cesar Torres
C&C 2024
[UG Symposium] Sentura
Understanding the Cognitive Affordances of Silicone Microtextures in Tangible User Interface Design
Gunnika Kapoor, Aarti Darji, Marisa Fernandez, and Cesar Torres
C&C 2024
[Graduate Consortium] Experiential Tutorials
Designing Tutorial Authoring Tools to Facilitate Tacit Knowledge Exchange in Creative Practices
Shreyosi Endow

Associated Stations