Description:

Aid is an AI-powered design tool that encourages and helps users use materials more mindfully. This project was born from an exploration into ways to reduce non-biodegradable waste during prototyping. Planning out the most efficient use of a material is an extra step in the process. It's time-consuming, and often forgotten when you are in the middle of a design epiphany. So why not let someone else do it for you?

Research into AI, augmented reality and emerging technologies was conducted to discover how AR elements could aid with prototyping and reduce waste. Taking the form of a projector, the end product can be used in a variety of creative fields.

Aid helps the user plan out how to use materials efficiently, reducing off-cuts by generating and projecting nesting patterns onto the material. The user provides AI with input through the accompanying app. Either as a file, by taking a photo of a sketch or by drawing on the material with their finger when the projector is in use. Aid can also be used to explore different visual iterations, material finishes and details by projecting imagery onto an existing model, reducing the need for multiple models.

The projector has two LIDAR cameras to help the AI detect the material and analyse its distance and angle from the unit. This is so the projector's lens can focus properly, and project sketches and imagery at the correct scale. The cameras are also used for hand-tracking, allowing the user to use the material's surface as an interface for editing projected sketches in real-time.

The design is intended to be easily implementable into existing processes and hassle-free. Magnetic mounting points and the mount units' compatibility with the quick-release tripod mount system allow for quick and easy set-up. The mount is robotized and self-adjusts the projector's angle and position based on information received from the camera feed.

The projector's shape is designed to be easy to hold when mounting. It's big enough to house the required tech but small enough to grab with one hand. Aesthetic decisions were made to make the product and its AI seem approachable and friendly to the user. This was done using soft features, light colours and a cheerful "face".

Durable materials such as polycarbonate plastic, aluminium, and neodymium magnets are used to extend the product's life span. Additionally, if the projector gets damaged, or when the LEDs or the battery degrade they can be easily replaced by the user. Modules are plugged into the PCB board using custom-made connectors that allow easy swapping.

The product's website offers modules for purchase, as well as a free printable model of the shell if they wish to build or design their own unit. The site also serves as a platform for collaboration between users. Here shells and attachments can be shared, as well as tips and tricks for more sustainable practices.