Computers as Co-authors (2015)

Beyond Design 

The introduction of free and easy to use cloud and browser based programs like Tinkercad and Shapeshifter (from the generous people at Autodesk)  has opened up digital making to anyone with an internet connection,  even a cell phone. These programs eliminate the need for computer coding  expertise and replace it with a user-friendly interface that creates  countless iterations of a design at the touch of a slider.  Here you can  create intricate and complex designs, save these files in the by-now  universal stl or obj formats and send them off to any of the 3D printing  providers in the world or even print them out at home on your own  little 3D printer.

Eager to explore the limitations of these applications and expanding  the knowledge of their uses, Ross Stevens set out to design a set of  speakers. The final result revealed a few surprises. Negative feedback  regarding the aesthetic was of little importance to Ross, bringing home  the idea that he was not the exclusive author of this particular  product, thus taking credit/ apportion ‘blame’ also fell to the computer  and the team that wrote the design program.  This kind of co-authorship  highlights the current concern over AI, forcing designers – that might  have considered themselves safe from the fate of defunct taxi drivers –  to step up their game and really test their human creativity against  exponentially improving computers.

Materials and Processes – close up

Software

Shapeshifter, TinkerCAD

Hardware

Up Box