Posey

(computational construction kits and craft)

Posey is a computationally enhanced poseable hub and strut construction kit that can be used as an interface to applications running on a host computer. Its optocoupled ball and socket joints transmit local topology information and determine the roll, pitch and yaw of connections. Zigbee transceivers in each hub communicate this data wirelessly back to the host computer. The host computer assembles a representation of the physical model as the user creates and configures it. This representation can then be used by application programs to control models in particular domains. For example, a skeleton of a puppet can be used to control the movement of a more detailed virtual puppet to create an online puppet show. And by connecting posey to a molecule modeling application, information on different molecules can be retrieved just by building the molecule using hubs as atoms and struts as bonds.

web page: http://code.arc.cmu.edu/mediawiki/index.php/Posey

researchers: Michael Philetus Weller, Mark D Gross and Ellen Yi-Luen Do

sponsor: National Science Foundation

last updated 11.2.2007 by Michael Philetus Weller