(n)certainties – Columbia – Fall 2008

I’m adding in more complexity to the construction process so that the formations are not a simple lofted “tube”…instead, each layer is built separately so that the differentiation between levels will be visible. This will also result in a stacked sequence of porous spaces instead of a monolithic mass. The image below shows a simple formation and a section revealing the interior porosity — all variation and movement is off obviously.

I’m currently trying to resolve the problem of overlapping geometry at points where formations approach each other.  I am trying to keep the pieces distinct, but touching.

Here is a quick rendering of some of the formations that are resulting as I’m trying to understand all the variation that is going on…

Formation Variation

A number of variables are incorporated into the most recent set of scripts to allow for variations in such things as step height, maximum stepover, radius size, maximum height, etc. The formation can vary considerably when any of these variables are altered, so the code needs to be revised and streamlined to make sure it is clear what is causing what…

Tall and Slender

Friendly Neighbor (Persp)Now that the tower formation is a bit sloppier, and approximates the dripping of the material a bit, a method of colonization can begin to be developed. In this version, material is dripped down from a source–the robot–at each individual formation. After a layer is deposited, the robot checks to see where its closest neighbor is and then drips down the next layer of material a bit closer to that neighbor. Thus, the formations rise up and begin to bridge towards each other in unexpected ways.

Friendly Neighbor (Persp)

Goopy Towers (Persp)

Now that the drops can be made “goopier” the towers can begin to approximate growth in a more random way. The variation in each layer can begin to display a sloppier accumulation of material.

In order to simulate the random drip, or deposition, of material, the initial shape had to be transformed into something irregular. A script was developed to take an intial shape–a circle, for example–and then divide the curve, randomly translate those points, and then redraw a curve through those modified points.

Goopy Circles Diagram

In this version, the drops are still simulated from overhead along a path. Each layer of the stalagmite is randomly sized, but is scaled down somewhat from the next. There is also a minimum radius imposed on the formation so that when construction hits that point, the formation grows outward until it reaches a maximum radius.

Stalagmites B (Persp)

This iteration builds off the previous attempts, by simulating dripping from a path overhead. Each “stalagmite” is built one at a time. The drip size is random, but each successive drip is scaled smaller than the last.

Stalagmites A (Persp)

Dripping Spheres (Persp)

DRIPPING SPHERES

Dripping Spheres (Plan)

DRIPPING CIRCLES

This early attempt tries to simulate dripping material from overhead. The drip point moves along a path–here a simple sine curve path. Layers are added on top of each drip point with circles of random radii to simulate different amounts of material.

Dripping Circles (Plan)Dripping Circles (Perspective View)