MetaDesigner - Meta-Design Builder: A framework for the definition of end-user interfaces for product mass-customization

Project: Research project

Project Details

Description

Rapid prototyping is the major new trend in manufacturing technology. Novel methods for 3D printing permit the greatest freedom in shape design. Various materials, such as paper, plaster, plastic, and even metal can be printed in 3D, and cost efficiency is improving drastically. While manufacturing technology is jumping ahead, end-user interface technology is lacking behind. Many products are not customized today because of the cost of providing an easy-to-use end-user interface, basically a customized, web-based 3D modelling toolkit. A number of projects exist in the area of mass-customization but almost all are based on the concept of only swapping pre-defined parts. Three dimensional shape customization integrated in online shops is offered at this stage only by Fluidforms and its very few competitors. The possible ways a product can be modified is defined by a meta-design. At this point a meta-design requires in depth knowledge of various technologies, mathematics and programming. To enable the navigation of a meta-design or the configuration of a product, not only the product domain, but also manufacturing technology, web technology, 3D programming and rendering must be mastered. The goal of the METADESIGNER project is to develop an enabling technology for creative minds with knowledge of consumer psychology, of design and market trends. It will let them create meta-designs and present them in optimal ways, online, without the need to deal with intricate technical aspects. The GML technology developed at TU Graz is ideally suited as a technical basis for this.
StatusFinished
Effective start/end date1/03/0928/02/13

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