Biometric Jewellery
Personal Project - Digital Ghost
Setting the scene
This personal project is an experimentation into developing truly bespoke products unique to the owner. This project is ongoing, I hope to make this jewellery available later this year.
Initial Development
The first requirement of this project was to develop a method of generating similar objects with very slight visible differences.
After much experimentation I created a workflow which generates points from a given seed number, these points can be constrained by setting perimeters which allow for the generation of similar shapes.
The outcome of this generation workflow produces a ring. This can then be output in a variety of formats for manufacturing.
The image below shows two different rings generated from this workflow. Both rings use different seed numbers to create slight differences in their shape.
Data Collection Development
Development is now focused on generating seed numbers from biometric data. This will be done through the use of capacitive fingerprint readers. When used within biometric security, these readers link the image of a user’s fingerprint with a unique seed number. I plan to use this to generate seed numbers for my workflow.
Alongside the technical aspects of the fingerprint scanner, I'm also exploring materials to use to create the housing for the components.
The main material which I have been working with is Scoria, an igneous rock identifiable from bubbles of air creating complex surfaces.
I recently purchased a milling machine to test the feasibility of machining Scoria. After much trial and error it is possible to machine the stone but requires diamond tooling which blunts after a short period of time, the lifespan of the diamond tooling can be increased through the use of very gradual cuts.
I am planning to convert my milling machine to CNC to have greater control over these speeds and automate the process.
CNC machining is a subtractive process, therefore I am developing methods of rebuilding the surface of the cut stone to seal the components within seamlessly.
To do this I have been experimenting with photogrammetry, using this process I can build a 3D CAD model of the pre-cut stone allowing me to rebuild areas which I plan to remove. I can 3D print these areas and then cast using the print in desired materials.
Development is also being carried out on more complex forms to be utilized in other jewelry products. See below a crown generated using a similar workflow.
This crown has been 3D printed in a single piece, the challenge is now casting such a complex shape in precious metals. Tests are currently being carried out .
The same process of generating objects can be applied to a wide variety of products and I hope to experiment further with this.
For example, the same process could be used to generate graphics for prints or textures for the surfaces of products creating unique tactile experiences.
Currently working on...
Alongside the current forms created for the jewelry I am also developing growth algorithms similar to my work on 3d printed ceramics. These algorithms allow me to generate jewelry which appears to grow similar in appearance to tree roots.
The stems begin densely packed and gradually decline towards the furthest extents of the forms. I currently have algorithms for this which generate both bracelets and crowns, I plan to begin physical development of these shortly.
