The Art of the Maker Craft, Design and Technology in the 21st Century 2 13m 20s end

Of course, personalization can be used

for much more significant applications,

such as clothing, medicine, food, and prosthetics,

facial and cranial reconstruction,

and more recently, printed COVID masks,

and an external cast for a broken arm,

of which could be suitable to--

for difficult to fix, uh,

suitable for areas which are difficult to fix in your body.

In order to understand human and machine interaction better,

Google asked us to submit doodles of objects via Quick Draw.

It asked us to draw an image of a written word

or a phrase in under 20 seconds.

It kind of provided fascinating insight

into the terribleness of people's drawings,

but also the broader implications of how robots

can self-learn over time.

It also demonstrated just how difficult it is

to develop and train robots to draw.

These new robots, artificial intelligence, or AI,

defined as algorithms that mimic human intelligence.

Authors have called into question the implication

of robots and creativity.

The primary question is, why would anyone want

to use computers to make things.

Is it for commercial or curiosity,

or another tool to extend creativity?

And so far, it has been the input of the artist as author

to write the script and coding,

and who still masterminds the actions of the robot.

So, all in all, is traceable back

to the humans' desire to create.

However, computers, robotics, and AI

also present new ways and new possibilities

that can take us in a whole different direction

and open up new styles of creative expression.

Can robots become hobby painters?

That by through hours of training as we do,

learn how to create their own stylistic mark,

which could be completely different to a human's approach

to painting and drawing.

And here we have an example of collaboration

between calligrapher Jessica Ho

from Hong Kong Design Polytechnic,

and Fabio D'Agnano,

who used the visual programming language of Grasshopper

to mimic the arm and hand gestures of brush strokes.

Returning to Senett's book, "The Craftsman," he says,

"The greatest dilemma faced by the modern artisan craftsman

is the machine."

So where he compares the graph craftsman's desire

to make by hand, incorporating variety and flaws,

versus the anxiety of the rigorous perfection of the machine.

He describes two different types of machines,

that of the replicant that mimics human functions

in order to best serve our needs,

such as pacemakers and artificial limbs,

or as a robot, a machine that is more

of an extension of our physical self,

but larger and stronger,

that works faster but never tires,

such as printing presses and paper mills and computers.

And as Sennett explains, the replicant shows us as we are,

the robot as we might be.

So in the 21st century,

the purpose of making at the CFPR

is to create new ways of engagement

for industrial applications and methods of making,

but with a firm understanding of the traditional skills,

combining old and new materials,

The important factor is how to visualize

what one is going to try and do,

and all the skills that are required.

This may require testing and prototyping

through different methodologies, and it also

requires a set of people from different required backgrounds

to come together to create a product.

Our interests and activities at the Centre

is based on a highly pragmatic field

in developing technologies and methods

that can help to reinvigorate old technologies,

using new and old materials and digital methods

to explore new innovation.

So, I've already shown you some examples

from colleagues at the Centre, Wuon-Gean Ho,

Angie Butler, Fabio D'Agnano, and Verity Winslow,

but I would also like to show a few case studies

of how craft skills and materials

are having an application and impact on manufacturing.

So Tavs Jorgensen's research interests

in exploring new digital design and fabrication technologies,

and he's-- within this broad theme,

Tavs has had-- has a particular interest in, uh,

in the use of low cost 3D printing,

which has become increasingly accessible.

He's using 3D printing

to explore a clay extrusion process,

where clay extrusion is-- was developed

in the 19th century to make bricks

and other ceramic architectural parts,

and is still used extensively in the ceramic industry.

However, this has seen very little development,

so what he's been doing

is using customized visual scripts

and a range of extrusion profiles, or dies,

which you can see on the left,

which can be quickly made and tested.

And this, as we said, is a very particular interest

for architects and brick-- and building companies.

Dave Huson and Steve Hoskins

have been pioneering ceramic 3D printing production

and traditional craft skills,

and with a background in industrial ceramics,

Dave's research has led

to inventing a novel and unique method of 3D printing ceramics

that were previously impossible.

The Glass Works Project was another exploration

by Jorgensen of low cost 3D printers

for glass investment casting.

This involved a sand pit week

involving a whole range of different experts,

from architecture, physics,

engineering, chemistry,

art, pottery, weaving,

ceramics, graphic design,

and fashion design.

And all the model-- although the models

and molds are single use and disposable,

they constitute the core tools in the process.

These tools present an entirely new way

in the production of glass artifacts,

from creative expressions--

Precise structures for such applications

as urine-powered fuel cells.

And here we have the Bristol Bio-energy Center

within the Bristol Robotics Laboratory,

exploring glass casting

for more efficient microbial fuel cell technology.

MFCs are, in fact, bio-electrical chemical energy systems

that convert the energy locked in organic matter,

such as urine, waste water,

or "Pee Power."

Advances in printing and paper and textile electronics,

using low cost and and accessible electronics

is another exciting area,

and in this instance, is a project exploring

difficent-- diffle-- difficult-- different musical instruments.

So here, we're exploring printable graphing circuits,

paper folding, paper engineering,

molds for paper pulp

to create a different sort of form of musical interface.

Laura Morgan is exploring bio-materials

and digital laser processing techniques

for the coloration and surface finishing of textiles.

She's focusing on

improving sustainability and efficiency

that contributes to the circular economy,

by mixing design and material science has resulted

in a whole new toolbox of laser textile design techniques.

Jewelry designer and maker Sofie Boons

is responding to issues around the mining of gemstones,

and is investigating opportunities

and challenges of laboratory growing crystals.

This worldwide jewelry industry

is-- is quite fearful of a significant disruption

to the market by these so-called "fakes,"

but there is increasing environmental damages

due to mining, and obviously the cost in human life.

So Sofie's work is timely

in producing bespoke crystals

that can be grown and as integral to the piece of jewelry.

Trained as an architect, Fabio D'Agnano's interest

has explored the crossovers between digital tools

for art, architecture, and crafts,

and he's been working on computer-based modeling,

rapid prototyping, and the use of sensors and electronics

embedded in 3D printed tactile objects

to help visually impaired people

to navigate and recall information

about the history of architecture,

or as a cultural museum-- cultural object in a museum.

In addition to cultural heritage, we're also

exploring tactile printing for visually impaired to ask,

what does a city or a building feel like?

We're exploring paper-based products

and maps designed for single use,

which can then be recycled or taken away as a souvenir.

This idea of a tactile memento

offers new opportunities

that can transform an inert replica

into a smart object that connects to phones, computers,

museums, the Internet of things, or other places.

It can be used as a container for storing

or conveying information, or as a tactile replica

that can include extrasensory experiences beyond touch,

for example, smell and sound and stories.

Jed Hammerman is working with Craven Dunnill and Company,

which was established in 1872.

The factory is part of the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site

in the north of England, and is at the heart of Bristol--

Britain's Industrial Revolution.

Jed has been exploring non-destructive 3D scanning

and fabrication methods

to restore ceramic-glazed historic wall tiles.

And this is a highly traditional industrial craft product,

and is at risk because the craftspeople

are coming to the end of their life.

So current restoration methods involve

removing the glazed tiles from the walls,

which then potentially damages the work

along with the surrounding area.

But Jed has been using 3D software

to reverse engineer the original surface

captured from a 3D scanner,

and speed up the process of renovating heritage ceramics

by bringing production techniques

in line with the 21st century.

So, to conclude,

in the 21st century, we experience a new creative shift

in craft, design, and technology.

As creative practitioners, we know that craft

has never really gone away, and European craft manufacturers,

from makers of luxury handbags, high-end furniture,

and even supercars are exploring how 3D printing, robots, and AI

can be combined with their craft

and still maintain that craft identity.

Just as other tools have been essential

throughout the history of art and craft,

we can exploit digital tools,

new materials, and new technologies,

seeking ways to revive and reinvigorate the process of making

that-- and enrich our material culture.

As demonstrated throughout this presentation,

there are all sorts of synergies between different processions--

professions that present opportunities

for technological solutions,

and many possible overlaps and solutions

that are yet to be found.

I'd like to acknowledge all the academics and technical staff,

and research staff at the Centre for Fine Print Research.

Please do check out our website

and news pages about upcoming events,

and last, but not least, announcement

that Impact Printmaking Conference will be returning

to Bristol next year, and we would like to extend an invitation

to you to visit us here in Bristol, in person or online.

Thank you for listening.