Cellular automata and 3D print.

 

 

This is my first experiment with 3D printing. I wanted to create an object inspired by natural phenomena in order to get an organic feel. The first idea was to use a cellular automata, where the generations stacked on top of each other, showing the “growing” process.

 

I started with an example of the classic Game of Life and expanded to 3D. Individual cells can be seen as voxels, yielding a set of volumetric information. To draw this set the obvious choice was to use Toxiclibs volumetric stroke.

 

 

The growing process was controlled by modifying in real time the automata’s rules, which allowed me to create a semi hollow section and a solid base.

 

The resulting mesh was exported to STL format and imported into Netfabb to repair some normals. Then it was printed on a Makerbot Replicator at Medialab-Prado’s Fablab.

 

 

All photos by Fernanda Ramos