Hands-On Design Takes on New Meaning

architecture, art, engineering design, 3D — (Image credit: Purdue University.)

This Research in Action article was provided to LiveScience in partnership with the National Science Foundation.

Computer users created these shapes with Handy-Potter, a new design tool developed at the C Design Lab in the Purdue University School of Mechanical Engineering. Handy-Potter enables people to create and modify digital 3-D objects with their hands. The system uses a depth-sensing camera and advanced software algorithms to interpret hand movements and gestures. The technology was developed with support from the National Science Foundation Small Business Innovation Research program. For more about this research, see the Purdue press release.