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2. Digital bodies

Research & Ideation

describe what you see in this image

As I begin the Digital Bodies course, I’m excited to dive into a space where the human form meets digital design. This course feels like an opportunity for me to rethink the body—not just as something to dress, but as a dynamic shape that can be scanned, modified, simulated, and reimagined through technology. I’m looking forward to exploring tools like 3D scanning, digital laser, and motion capture, and understanding how these techniques can extend the body, reshape silhouettes, or inspire new kinds of styles

References & Inspiration

tony cragg are artefacts that represent historic grappling with the body's connection to the spiritual self through ritual.

katie it shapes how I think about duplication and creating a double of the self.

christine speaks of the process by which the body becoming immaterial through technology.


Discover the power of the MIRACO 3D Scanner: Get full body scans in under 60 seconds using Far Mode! 🌟 Then switch to Near Mode for detailed hair scans and flip the screen for a 180° selfie scan in real-time on a stunning 2K AMOLED display. The future of scanning is here!

Tools

  • make human
  • blender
  • laser cutter
  • slicer for fusion 360
  • 3D scanner

Process and workflow

In this week, our task was to learn how to use the 3D Scanner, 3D modelling software and the Laser Cutter to create something in response to the human body.

To achieve this week you have to follow several steps:

  1. create a digital human model using MakeHuman, an open-source tool for building virtual bodies.
  2. Then scan your own bodies with the CR-Scan Ferret 3D scanner from Creality
  3. After capturing the scans, clean and modifie the meshes in blender
  4. then prepare the models for fabrication by slicing them and exporting a DXF file using Slicer for Fusion 360.
  5. Finally, use the laser cutter to engrave and cut all the pieces needed to assemble our physical models.

Make human

I began by experimenting with MakeHuman, and it quickly proved to be a great tool for generating a basic human model. I found it easy to use and efficient, especially for creating a realistic human hand with adjustable features. I only used the modeling function, and the process was very straightforward

Blender

Once we had obtained a mesh we could move into Blender 3D (a CAD software) to modify and repair it. I choose to use a very generic mesh of a human hand generated using Make Human because I didn't want as much detail as the 3D scanner picked up.

slice fusion 360

In Slicer for Fusion 360 you can choose how you would like your model to be sliced. You can customise the material so you can find out how many sheets of material you will need.

3D Models

Fabrication files

File: laser cut sheets