A playable 3D piano with integrated electronics folded from a single 2D piece of matboard cut with a laser cutter - an exploration in spatial reasoning!

Here is the 2D piano before being folded. A simple circuit can be assembled on one flat surface using an ATtiny microcontroller, a piezo speaker, a battery, and a strip of conductive ink piano keys as a variable resistor.

Here is the 2D piece of matboard after laser cutting the piano vector file. This can be done using any flexible material, including paper, cardboard, and matboard.

I designed and 3D printed a mini city block for a friend who works in urban planning.

Mini city block perspective

I designed and programmed an interactive Kinect Midi Controller to allow visitors to "play" the Museum of Science's musical Tesla Coils. By moving their arms in 3D space, they could modulate the pitch produced by the Tesla Coils.

This is a screenshot of the program I created in processing showing the interface the visitors were using. On the right you can see the visitor in action, and on the left you can see the corresponding notes they are producing. This is from the 2014 National Science Teachers Association Conference.

I designed and created an interactive placemat using a sewn in LilyPad Arduino.

The placemat had a temperature sensor so that the sun would change color when a hot object (such as a bowl of soup) was placed on top. In addition, the placemat had twinkling LEDs sewn in that responded to a light sensor as well as metal utensils placed on the placemat.

I designed and 3D printed "rabbit" goggles for Elizabeth Bell based on her original design for a young learner activity.

Together with Jie Qi, I created a life size cardboard book that you can open and step into.

The design was inspired by origami, and features a series of pleats in the cardboard that allow easy opening and closing of the book.

I laser cut all the letters of the alphabet from sticky notes to allow users to "write" the novel.

Here is the novel populated with user messages.

Here is a close up view of the messages inside the novel.

I designed a 3D paper cello out of a single 2D piece of folded paper.

Here is a second iteration of the paper cello using matboard to provide a sturdy structure to support internal electronics.

Here is an inside look at the paper cello. The cello was playable by pressing on the "strings" at the neck to produce high fidelity sounds.

I designed and laser cut an ostrich toy box out of cardboard. The ostrich head pops up and out of the "ground" when the circuit is complete.

Here is a inside look at the ostrich circuit using nitinol wire as the actuator.

I designed and laser cut a 3D peacock assembled from cardboard and cardstock. I experimented with laser engraving cardstock to produce a beautiful pattern in the heavy paper. This is another kinetic animal, intended to be setup with nitinol wire to raise and lower the tail feathers using simple actuation.

Here is detailed look at the body of the peacock.

I designed and laser cut a miniature Boston Landmark Kit using press fit cardboard pieces.

Penguins!

I helped Jie Qi with her project by stitching flexible copper wire through the vines to maintain connectivity as the vines bend. You can watch a video of her vines in action via the link below.

I made a personalized birthday gift box.

Combining the effects of Sabatier exposure and cyanotype to make images appear surreal. The Sabatier effect results in a reversal of silver density in a print, causing some areas that would normally be black to become white.

Lightning demonstration