Inspiration
We thought combining multiple next-generation input and output devices for a useful purpose and making 3D printing more accessible to everyone in the world would be really cool.
What it does
It allows you to hand-sculpt a 3D model in free space using a Leap Motion and an Oculus, process it automatically, and send it to printing directly.
How we built it
After considering different programming languages and methods, we decided that our system should work in a browser to be truly accessible.
Challenges we ran into
Javascript is SLOW. We had processing power issues because of this -- unless we use Three.js in creative ways, it becomes quickly impossible to display a large-scale modifiable set of voxels.
A lot of the 3D printers would not work with the software that we used early on during the project, which made us go through several iterations of our plans. Still, we have learned a lot from those software issues.
Accomplishments that we are proud of
We are proud of learning the APIs of and interfacing three hardware systems of the future in 24 hours.
What we learned
We learned about the basics of developing with high-tech devices, and learned about all the awesome stuff they can (and will) enable in the future, as well as their limitations (i.e. they are not magical devices that solve every problem). Yet, we hold the firm belief that the future will be really cool.
What's next for Oculangelo
We would like the sculpting function to be much more detailed, versatile, and user friendly. It will have settings that will allow the user to manipulate the material in many different ways. We would also like for the user to be able to see their hands while sculpting. We could also integrate a myo bracelet that vibrates when the user is touching the material, to simulate the feeling of pressure from touching an object. There are a huge amount of possibilities for this project!
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