Extreme 3D Art
Working deck:
Artists can move into a domain dominated by computer scientists and engineers
by Dan Collins,
Associate Professor of Art, Arizona State University
The virtual space of the computer and a host of 3D applications gives
artists the power to create objects, convincing avatars, animations, and
interactive worlds.
to please summarize what computer artists currently do.
But there is a range of professional 3D input and output methods available
that are still barely on the CRT of most of the 3D artist community. These
new techniques can serve to broaden the palette of the “digital sculptor”—
both on the front end (data capture) and the back end (output). Artists are
repurposing the power of 3D capture devices and pushing the boundaries
of rapid prototyping. Here’s just a sample. Using devices initially
developed for reconstructive breast surgery, they are creating “skins” for
gaming. Downloading United State Geographic Service “DEMS” (digital
elevation models), they are creating interactive websites with
unprecedented topographic detail. And using new rapid prototyping
systems, they are creating tangible, full color objects that bypass the
products of traditional model shops. .Welcome to the world of “extreme
3D art.” Please explain implications for artists…
The artist of the 21st century is a hybridizer, a boundary pusher, a crossdisciplinary thinker. They need to be able to talk themselves into labs and
studios were the really cool equipment is hidden. This means not only
Transition: To reach this…, computer artists must understand and
master…Three domains: Data Acquisition (input technologies); Computer
Aided Design, modeling, and visualization (CAD), and Computer-Aided
Manufacturing (CAM).
3D Data Capture
The first domain, data capture, covers a wide array of systems, from
microscopes to satellites. Virtually anything that can be mapped in 3D can
be rendered as a digital model, including the following:
Extremely tiny objects--such as blood cells, crystalline structures, and
molecules--can be rendered as three-dimensional models using tools such
as a scanning probe microscope. Objects are measured in nanometers-units a billionth of a meter long. Slightly cruder in its resolution is the
confocal microscope, which is adept at rendering three-dimensional
objects in microns--units a millionth of a meter long.
At slightly larger scales, objects several millimeters across can be digitized
with manual probes or optically scanned using 3D laser scanners.
Depending on the lens configuration, resolutions as fine as 0.125 mm can
be achieved. Whole body scanners—such as has been developed by
Cyberware of Monterey, California--record a million data points spaced at
3 mm intervals. Camera based systems such as (3Q--ID)’s are configured
to digitally capture the human form in 3-D using a non-laser technique
known as digital surface photogrammetry. This approach employs
projecting a random light pattern on the subject and capturing the surface
contours and color information with precisely synchronized digital cameras
set at various angles. Gamers can get their “skins” for the price of a good
haircut.
Medical diagnostic technologies such as MRI, CT scanners, and 3D
ultrasound give three-dimensional representations of internal morphology.
A company called AmeriScan is providing state of the art CT scans in
shopping malls for a fraction of the cost of a typical hospital visit. These
technologies enable a new kind of "figurative sculpture" that reveals both
internal and external anatomy.
Long range scanners from companies like Mensi and Cyra produce high
resolution 3D models of larger objects such as architectural facades,
geological features, or archaeological sites. Using lasers and optical
triangulation, these systems can acquire data up to 100 meters from the
source object at accuracies up to 0.21 mm.
At very large scales, terrestrial maps or extraterrestrial planetary surface
data are delivered by satellites equipped with systems such as synthetic
aperture radar. Satellite data in the form of digital elevation models are
freely available from the (USGS--spell out). These models consist of a
sampled array of elevations for a number of ground positions at regularly
spaced intervals. These (all of the above?)can be translated into usable
3D models using conventional 3D modeling packages such as
Rhinocerous or 3D Studio Max. (sum up point: so many models to use
opens unlimited possibilities for artists.
Computer Visualization: Modeling the Data
Transition: The second domain…?
Please condense this section (next 5 grafs) and cast in context of main
theme: artists need to master modeling…
(recent work in computer visualization provides a link between
contemporary aesthetics and science--put back on main track? what this
means for computer artists in terms of using (modeling) the new extreme
3D data). In many respects, computer visualization is where a quantifiable
description of the world--the traditional domain of the physical and life
sciences--finds new expression and meaning in enhanced methods of
representation, the traditional domain of the arts and humanities.
"Computer visualization" is an area familiar to anyone who has struggled
with the learning curves typical of 3D modeling packages. At its most
arcane, the task of translating quantifiable information into pictures falls to
mathematicians, programmers, and software engineers trained in
computer aided geometric design and computer graphics. Most sculptors
do not have the requisite technical skills to develop the algorithms or
programs that are necessary for translating abstract spatial concepts into
3D models on the screen.
(However, artists comfortable with working in three dimensions will find
that their skills at visualization, "imaging", and conceptualization are highly
valued in technical circles--tangential? stick to main theme of how can
artists take advantage of extreme data?. )
(am losing the thread: seems like this is moving into examples or
opportunities involving computer art (extreme or otherwise?). please relate
rest of section (next 2 grafs) to mastering modeling… or move to another
section or delete? We are seeing increasing numbers of successful
collaborations between individuals with technical competencies and those
with an eye for the aesthetic or the conceptual. Major conferences in
computer graphics such as SIGGRAPH highlight the latest breakthroughs
in art, industry, entertainment, and theoretical computation. The
entertainment industry drives much of the technology and provides
opportunities, challenges, and applications for the development of
complex algorithms and new programming protocols. The special effects
wizardry achieved by Steve Jobs's company, Pixar, and the legendary
work of George Lucas and his company Industrial Light and are just two
examples of companies that are built on the premise of collaborative
enterprise between technologists and artists. Apart from the kinds of
spectacles possible with the deep pockets of the entertainment business,
there are some unique, innovative projects that bring together the best the
arts and sciences have to offer. The CAVE project (Cave Automatic Virtual
Environment) at the Electronic Visualization Laboratory at the University of
Illinois at Chicago is perhaps one of the more innovative examples of
collaborative enterprise integrating high end graphics into an immersive
3D audio/video experience. Viewers wear special glasses utilizing
"shuttering" technology (LCD stereo shutter glasses are used to separate
the alternating video fields being received by the eyes), and move through
a space "guided" by a leader wearing a full VR headset. The correct
perspective and stereo projects of the environment are updated, and the
image moves with and surrounds the viewer. Content explored has
included everything from the visualization of natural phenomena to
scientific data to "fine art" immersive environments.
Many related areas converge in computer visualization. Computer
graphics, scientific visualization of all kinds, 3D Modeling, 3D
Archive/Database development, 3D Pattern Recognition (requiring artificial
intelligence expertise) are just some of the areas of interest to the digital
sculptor.
A set of tools that can accommodate the diversity of data generated by the
range of data input devices enumerated above is essential--is this saying
that there are no tools or that the computer artist needs to master the
tools? . In the PRISM lab--a research unit devoted to visualizaton and
prototyping at Arizona State University--data gathered from machines as
diverse as Scanning Electron Microscopes, MRI machines, and 3D laser
scanners has been successfully translated into solid models--using what?.
We are currently using portable 3D laser scanners in the development of a
data base of anthropological artifacts ranging from Anasazi pottery, to
lithics, to hominid bones --seems like application is more scientific than
artistic?.
Form Realization: 3D Printing and Rapid Prototyping
Please condense next 6 grafs to 1 or 2, focusing on what 3D artists need
to know, how they can use rapid prototyping. Or delete section altogether,
and remove from intro, and think about doing a separate piece later? (Our
readers are pretty familiar with rapid prototyping technology and products,
but mostly for product design, not artistic applications.) At the heart of the
process of digital sculpture is the desire to translate three-dimensional
objects designed in the virtual space of the computer into actual threedimensions--a process generally known in industry as "rapid prototyping."
Rapid computer-based prototyping--more precisely called "layered
manufacturing"--is a relatively new field that is gaining increasing
acceptance in fields as diverse as medicine, aerospace, industrial
engineering, and sculpture. Complex three-dimensional objects such as
human prostheses, molded tooling, or aerospace parts are produced by
linking Computer Aided Design (CAD) products with various rapid
prototyping (RP) systems. It is also an ideal tool for concept modeling as
RP systems can provide CAD-equipped design engineers (and digital
sculptors!) with a physical model of a proposed design that they can
touch, examine in detail, and ship to others for inspection and review.
There are numerous automated devices that can translate 3D CAD
models into tangible form. Most common are the Computer numerically
controlled (CNC) machines that have been in service since the 1970s.
CNC milling enables computer controlled cutting on multiple axes in a
variety of materials. Earlier electromechanical machines--both analog and
digital--capable of cutting relatively complex solids were introduced just
after World War II. Other machines regularly used in heavy industry
include computer controlled plasma and laser cutters, electro discharge
machining (EDM) systems, automated hi-pressure waterjet cutters, and
various sand and glass bead blasting technologies, to name a few. Most
of these tools have unique control protocols that do not port easily from
one machine to another.
An entirely new category of manufacturing processes are classified under
the rubric of "layered object manufacturing." All of these new systems-irrespective of the methods with which the final part is made--require "solid
models" that are subsequently "sliced" (digitally) into multiple horizontal
"layers" that can be produced in sequence by a given process. Some
machines cut individual sheets of paper (with razor blades or lasers);
others deposit thin semi-liquid threads of wax or plastic; still others use
lasers to harden liquid resins, fuse synthetic "flours", or, in the most exotic
processes, cause precise chemical reactions to occur at given points
within a gas-filled chamber (only at very small scales).
Within the field of layered object manufacturing there is a rapidly growing
number of competing technologies ranging from small desk-top "3D
printers" and cutter/plotter devices to room-sized "rapid prototyping
centers." Each technology has its advantages and disadvantages. As
might be expected, the desk-top units are relatively inexpensive. A
computer aided plotter device that cuts individual sheets of adhesive
backed craft paper machine can be purchased for less than $7500.00. At
the other extreme, a laser "sintering" (fusing) machine can cost over half a
million dollars. In these high end machines, the hard-copy output is
remarkable for both the fineness of surface detail and their robust
structural integrity. Advances in the range of materials available for
prototyping permit particle sizes of as small as 40 microns (e.g.
DTM's"True Form") which can be fused for fine feature definitions down to
.004 inches resolution. Middle range desktop machines such as the
Stratasys/Genisys thermoplastic extrusion system ($50-60,000.00) can
achieve resolutions of .020 inches. A short list of the companies that
manufacture RP devices include the following: 3D Systems pioneered the
so-called "stereolithographic" systems (SLA) in which a bath of
photosensitive resin is hardened by a laser. Stratasys specializes in a
process known as Fused Deposition Modeling which involves the
extrusion and precise layup of a continuous thread of hot thermoplastic.
They have recently introduced a sophisticated FDM machine for under
$30,000. Z-Corp’s technology is built on an MIT patent for “3D printing”
which bypasses the need for support structures by building the object in a
container of starch-based powder. While it is like other “layered
manufacturing processes” in that it utilizes an .stl file format, it uses an
“inkjet” type process to harden the layers of powdered starch/cellulose. ZCorp recently introduced both a full RGB color machine (millions of colors)
and a machine with a much larger build envelope (20" x 24" x 16").
Because of the significant cost savings that can be achieved by shortening
the production cycle in industry, there is substantial interest in all kinds of
rapid prototyping. Many of the initial problems associated with rapid
prototyping--toxicity, lack of durability, problems in translation to metal or
cold casting methods--have been solved. A handful of companies have
already perfected methods for directly producing production level tooling
(for injection molding machines, in particular) using RP technologies.
Goals for Research and Teaching
(delete section)What does the future hold? On a technical level, new
machines are on the boards that will expand the capabilities of Rapid
Prototyping technology into a broader range of scales and materials.
Functional prototypes in materials ranging from hard steel to flexible
rubbers are already possible. Can organic structures be far behind?
Research on a theoretical level is currently being conducted into the next
level of volumetric data storage. If a "pixel" (literally "picture element")
represents the base level unit for typical 2D representations, the new unit
of choice is the "voxel"--a neologism that combines the words "pixel" and
"volume." Systems are envisioned that would be tied to enhanced voxel
data sets that allow an operator to specify not only volumetric information,
but material or physical property characteristics. Imagine, for example, a
knife blade created in a rapid prototyping machine that would be able to
be "custom crafted" to different specified levels of flexibility and density..
In the area of Interdisciplinary Education, I am particularly excited about
an integrated approach to techniques of visualization and prototyping that
could serve as a vehicle for innovative teaching and a cross-disciplinary
curriculum. These technologies lend themselves readily to hands-on
approaches and "active learning." Further, as all design and output is part
of an ever-expanding digital record, the archiving of raw data and product
will provide opportunities to pursue collaborative research across
disciplines and with other institutions. Ideally, a critical discussion will
ensue that looks closely at the formulation and interpretation of data and
physical prototypes derived from that data. The theoretical (and legal)
problems associated with digital imagery, virtual reality, and simulation,
and the context-dependent factors that issue from particular
methodological biases need to be explored by interdisciplinary thinkers not
afraid to draw from historical precedent, the "science" of fiction, and
studies in the humanities ranging from ethics, pscyhology, and education.
The demand for expertise in visualization, modeling, rapid-prototyping and
manufacturing is exceptionally strong right now in both the arts and
sciences. It is a growth sector for future generations of students. Access to
equipment and training programs that extend these new technologies to
those communities and constituencies who remain technologically
impoverished are essential.
Conclusion
Please redo conclusion to support above revisions: All of these new
concepts and systems depend on the computer for its ability to translate
quantifiable data into visual information. Using systems that are becoming
increasingly accessible to the non-technologist by virtue of improved
graphical interfaces and hardware, artists can now move with impunity (if
not total freedom) in a domain heretofore dominated by computer
scientists and engineers. While it would be a mistake to suggest that a lay
individual can move easily into high end rapid prototyping, with ever
improving GUI's and the ubiquity of learning tools for 3D digital media, it
can be argued that "digital sculpture" has come of age. What about the
rest of the culture? End here?
Future individuals and communities may be distinguished by their ability to
meet the challenge of form-making with methods that are quick and
responsive--that meet the need for objects, abstract forms, or
environments as they arise. New technologies that utilize transparent
interfaces, reduce technological restraints, and encourage iterative design
processes and customized products have the potential for changing our
3D environment and making it more user responsive. Design and
production by users-for users in real time, of course, depends on models
of design, manufacturing, distribution, and consumerism that are only just
beginning to take shape.
As with any new technology, the real challenge will be to not fetishize the
machines or their products as ends in themselves, but to focus on the
quality of the activities enabled by the technology. No one would dispute
our status as consummate tool designers and makers. The challenge is
for all of us to become better tool users.