Event Location: NSH 1507
Bio: Ryan Schmidt is a Research Scientist and head of the Design & Fabrication Group at Autodesk Research in Toronto, Canada. He is the creator of several novel 3D design tools, including Meshmixer, which was acquired by Autodesk in 2011. At Autodesk he has evolved Meshmixer into one of the standard tools for 3D printing, inventing novel techniques for design-to-print analysis, support structure generation, and geometry processing. In his current work he is exploring the new design workflows made possible by the fusion of 3D scanning, direct mesh modeling, and advanced digital fabrication. Ryan received his BSc and MSc at the University of Calgary, and his PhD at the University of Toronto.

Abstract: As digital fabrication expands our ability to create complex 3D forms, we often find ourselves trapped by the limitations of our 3D design tools. For example, creating a part that conforms to the shape of a particular person’s body is a challenge in any modern CAD tool. 3D capture technology such as photogrammetry, laser scanning, and CT/MRI allow us to bring the real world into CAD environments, but actually using that data in the design process has many complications. My group creates novel interactive tools that address design-to-fabricate problems, with a focus on integrating physical constraints into the design environment. As we continue to explore this space, we have found that even real-time 3D capture may have a place in CAD tools. To demonstrate the potential of this direction, I will present recent work in which we developed a scan-design-fabricate system which enables 3D-printing of lower-leg prosthetics for children, and then traveled to Uganda to do field trials. Modern 3D capture and processing techniques were critical to this project, allowing us to integrate 3D scans and CAD parts in an easy-to-use prosthetic design tool.