Summing Up 2019

This semester has been a great experience. After this class, I am much more confident in my ability to apply aesthetics to the designs I make in the future. Not only do I have a better understanding of what aesthetics are, but I also have strengthened my ability to think critically about aesthetics and the…

Fiber Optic Clock: Final Report Part 2

The inspiration for my final project came from two sources: wanting to experiment with new skills and materials, and wanting to explore an aesthetic I was not familiar with. The skills and materials I decided to experiment with were microcontroller coding and working with fiber optics. The aesthetic I chose to explore was Italian Futurism.…

Fiber Optic Clock: What and How

For my main project, I designed and built a digital clock where the letters were created using fiber optic cabled inlaid into black epoxy resin. The purpose of this was to create the illusion of the numbers being like constellations in the night sky. Additionally, I chose to apply the aesthetic of Italian Futurism to…

Fiber Optic Clock Final Stretch

Currently, I am slightly behind schedule in terms of construction of the clock.  I’m almost done with sorting the fiber optics by what number they correlate to. An image of the sorted fiber optics is included in the featured photo. This is by far the most time-consuming part of the construction process and is what…

Construction Timeline: Fiber-Optic Clock

The schedule for the construction of my fiber optic clock design is fairly straight forward. I already have all the code finished and I have prototyped the circuits. All that is left to do is finish the fiber optic display and the front face of the clock, build the frame, and wire all the components…

Top 5 Constraints

For my project, I will be creating a fiber optic digital clock where the fiber optics are meant to look like constellations that make the number. In terms of aesthetics, I am aiming for Italian futurism aesthetic. I chose this aesthetic due to its focus on technology as I fell this ties in well with…

Main Project Inspirations

When starting the brainstorming process for my main project the only thing I knew for sure was that I wanted to somehow incorporate a microprocessor such as an Arduino. I wanted to do this to improve my programing skills. I started to consider various applications of an Arduino that I could apply a unique aesthetic…

Skill Sets and Personal Aspirations

As a senior in mechanical engineering, I possess many of the same skills as other students in this class. These skills include 3D modeling, problem-solving and working in the machine shop. What I believe sets me apart is my large amount of experience and passion for working with my hands and creating things. Throughout my…

Up-Cycle Inspiration & Progress

As I stated in my last post the key element to the inspiration of my design is the power line insulatior. I felt that the unique look and shape of these objects wouls open up many doors for the design of my upcycle project. In addition the up-cycle project made for a great oprotunity to…

Up-Cycle Progress: Power Line Insulator Lamp

When considering what material to use for my up-cycle project, the first thing to come to mind was a power line insulator. During my grandfather’s career in the power industry, he acquired a decent sized collection of retired insulators that have yet to been put to use. Additionally, I have always been intrigued by the…

Aesthetic Exploration: A-frame Houses

A-frame houses are composed of slanted support members joined at one end to create thee image of an equilateral triangle. For added structural support there is cross member connecting the two main support at about the midpoint of the building’s height. This cross member is what gives these unique buildings thier name. While A-frame like…