Center for Design Innovation Idea Exchange: Experimental air-racer education program

Tuesday, March 27, 5:30-7:00pm

Center for Design Innovation
Suite 2105 Winston Tower
301 North Main Street
Winston-Salem, NC 27101

Free and open to the public.

Have you ever wondered how planes fly? Did you ever think you could build one? Experienced aviator Phil Harrison will describe his project-based learning programs for young folks. Currently he is cooperating with Smith Reynolds International Airport and Atkins Academic/Technology High School to help students build a plane and see potentials in aviation industry and manufacturing careers.

Phil will describe the form and function of the aircraft's wings, rudder, stabilizer and elevators. Through participating in this real-life project, his young collaborators have fun learning about physics and aerodynamics, metallurgy and fabrication, and mechanical engineering.

Groundbreaking set for Center for Design Innovation

A groundbreaking ceremony will take place Monday for the new home of the Center for Design Innovation in the Piedmont Triad Research Park.

The CDI supports creative design as an economic development tool in the region, with a particular focus on motion-capture and rapid prototyping technologies.

The ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. in the research park's Southern District, where the University of North Carolina system acquired four acres for the building. About $13 million has been set aside in past state budgets to pay for the facility.

Also on Monday, the CDI will host an open house in its temporary facility in Winston Tower from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., and an "Idea Exchange" on the design of the new building from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Learn more.

Stantec Repurposes Shipping Containers, Other Innovators Highlighted at Chamber Tech Briefing

Tens of thousands of shipping containers are piled up, rusting, all over the country because it is cheaper to make new containers abroad than ship the old ones back. But at Thursday’s 10th annual Technology Briefing, Randal L. Pool, managing principal of Stantec, presented a whole series of possibilities for reusing the containers. The company is already planning and hopes to open soon a removable restaurant for the sidewalk near New York’s Flatiron Building made from one container. Pool showed sketches of how containers might be used for first responder housing at the scene of a disaster, or as temporary shelter for up to 16 refugees. They might be clustered to provide housing for many families following a large-scale disaster. The presentation produced excited murmurs from the crowd of more than 300 who attended the briefing.


The September 15th  Winston-Salem Journal article covered information about some of the other eight presenters at the briefing and their stories of technology and innovation

CDI Receives Grant to Create a National Network of Diverse Expertise to Support Innovation

The Center for Design Innovation (CDI) has received a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to develop a national Network of Excellence for Science, Engineering, Arts and Design.

CDI will receive $43,493 to work with Texas A&M University and the Maryland Institute College of Art over the next few months to bring together researchers and research practices that bridge computer science, engineering and creativity. The effort follows prior meetings funded by NSF in which researchers considered methods for interdisciplinary work and its potential for innovation and education. Read more.

Technology and Innovation Series Highlights Downtown Development

The WS Chamber of Commerce Technology and Innovation Series event at the Milton Rhodes Center featured a panel of three speakers. Doug Edgeton, President of the Piedmont Triad Research Park, Carol Strohecker, Director of the Center for Design Innovation and Jason Thiel President of the Downtown Winston-Salem Partnership all spoke about new and interesting initiatives happening in that part of Winston-Salem that used to be a ghost town…downtown. Gone are the days where you’d leave your downtown office and have to drive to meet friends for a drink or leave town to attend a forum or event surrounded by creative and technologically savvy leaders in their industry. Drinks, networking, technology and innovation are happening in downtown Winston-Salem.

Attendees of this series learned about the size and diversity of Piedmont Triad Research Park. Not only does the park have over 54 companies, employing almost 1000 people; these same individuals hail from 5 continents and 25 countries. The Research Park is expanding its footprint downtown beginning with a project to cleanup and restore the historic Bailey Point power plant for office or other multipurpose use. There are plans in the works to create a 24 mile walking/biking/skateboarding trail that will connect downtown to Salem Creek. And there are plans for a $105 million building restoration project. Building 91 and 92, former Reynolds American manufacturing buildings in the park, will be restored to eventually include an atrium, open staircases and house 400-500 workers.

Carol Strohecker shared the concept behind the start of the Center for Design Innovation” (CDI) which resulted from an economic development study (Angelou study) which recommended that Winston-Salem respond to the declining manufacturing industry trends by focusing on the creative industry and specifically design. CDI’s focus goes one step further by focusing on digital technology specifically motion capture and rapid prototyping. She also talked about tieing creativity and design to science and technology by thinking of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) versus STEM. CDI also has grand plans to build in the Research Park and their building will be LEED certified, might include solar panels and other environmentally friendly features that could results in energy savings of 30%.

Jason Thiel wrapped up the discussion by showing the audience the current downtown “map” and plans for the future. He indicated that the growth in downtown residents has increased and now averages about 57 new units occupied per year (rent or sold). Jason also remarked about the plethora of downtown eating establishments and commented wryly that if a restaurant is not successful, it’s no longer downtown’s fault”.

The session concluded with audience Q&A. From the size of the audience and the nature of the questions, interest in learning more about technology, downtown development and innovation continues to be strong. Visit this blog to keep updated on events in our community and learn more about technology initiatives.

Center for Design Innovation's Idea Exchange Examine Significance of Illustrations

Sometimes centuries old artforms such as drawings can be timeless when combined with new technologies. Actually, it’s happening quite often in today’s fast emerging creative business and technology scene.

Last night three illustrators presented passionate and convincing cases for the importance of imagery at the Center for Design Innovation’s Ideal Exchange discussion on how mind, eye, hand and computer techniques combine to produce powerful illustrations. The artists produce computer-assisted drawings to communicate volumes about the complexities of life, the human body, technology functions and more.

Why do we still need illustration compared to photography? The artists took separate approaches to demonstrate the differences through power point slides, drawings and personal stories. The presenters were: Jennifer Gentry, Jennifer McCormick and Kyle Webster.

Gentry, is a certified medical illustrator and founder of Gentry Visualization (www.gentryvisualization.com), a studio specializing in the visual communication of medical, scientific, and technical concepts. Her complex anatomy illustrations are featured in medical journals textbooks and posters. She is also a lecturer at Wake Forest University.

McCormick, (www.artforlaw.com) also a medical illustrator, is owner and founder of Art for Law & Medicine, a company that produces custom medical illustrations of injuries for complex litigation. Her CSI-like artworks peer inside the human body similar to MRIs, CAT scans and x-rays exposing the dramatic stories and critical information about injuries and how they may have occurred.

Webster, owner of Kyle T. Webster (www.kyletwebster.com), has produced editorial illustrations that have graced the New Yorker, The Washington Post, USA Today, ESPN Magazine, Time Magazine, The New York Times, BusinessWeek, The Atlantic, Entertainment Weekly, The Wall Street Journal and many other major publications in the United States.

While each artist has a different specialty, all agree that illustrations are very effective in communicating complex opinions, issues and functions in a concise and impactful way. This is quite helpful for many people who are too busy to read abstracts and book chapters.

Whether appearing in a magazine, textbook or courtroom exhibit, their works clearly demonstrate that in this time of hi-definition computer animation, there is still room for old fashioned drawings enhanced by technology to effectively communicate emotions, business models, concepts or opinions in one glance. Such illustrations are useful for an array of applications from smartphone apps to ads that present business services similar to the well-known UPS ads featuring an artist producing fast-pace drawings to explain how its business services are successful.

As technology continues to advance, it appears that illustrations will still be in demand, enhancing the communications for the need, use, findings and implications of new technology.

Earlier this year CDI officials announced acquisition of land to construct a 30,000 square foot building in the South District of the Piedmont Triad Research Park. The facility will serve as the permanent home for the CDI and its dedication to discovering, inventing and developing new knowledge.

The CDI was established in 2005 as a multi-campus research center of the UNC system with an Advisory Board appointed by the Office of the President of UNC. Its mission is to create an environment that supports creative thinking as a means of fostering the growth of education, research and commercial enterprise.

The CDI began initial operations in 2007 at an interim site in Winston Tower and represents an inter-institutional partnership between Winston-Salem State University, the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and Forsyth Technical Community College. On a project basis, collaborations also include a range of individuals and organizations involved in supporting the Center’s interdisciplinary agenda.

For more information, visit: www.centerfordesigninnovation.org

Attend CDI's Idea Exchange Tonight

Mark your calendar to attend to the Center for Design Innovation’s (CDI) final Idea Exchange for the season from 5:30 until 7 p.m., tonight, April 19, on the 21^st floor of Winston Tower.

Free and open to the public, Idea Exchange is an open forum on anything related to creative processes, digital techniques, business strategies and other interests related to developing the knowledge economy of North Carolina's Piedmont region and beyond.

The subject for this Idea Exchange is: "The Interpretive and Communicative Power of Illustration."

Bring your thoughts or just listen. CDI's goal is to influence the economic transformation of the Piedmont Triad region through design-focused activity based on advanced digital technologies.

We look forward to seeing you there.

3D Imaging and Modeling in Winston Salem, North Carolina

Be careful if you enter Winston Tower in downtown Winston-Salem, NC, because you might find body part print generation, ranging virtual seas and private dreams animated.

Nickolay Hristov, of the Center for Design Innovation, hosted an assembly of local 3D imaging, animation artists and topography mapping professionals to a packed house this evening. Presentations included Dennis Nikolaidis (formerly of Out of Our Minds Animation) with Animusing Productions, Josh Tan, MS of Research Medical Imaging & 3D Modeling CBI, Thomas Tucker of Winston Salem State University's Animation Department, and David Norman and DeEtta Famiano of Famiano Design Group. Each company and presenter is worth exploring further if you have an interest in 3D animation or modeling in Winston-Salem or the Triad.

Of particular note tonight:

Dennis Nikolaidis demonstrated the process he used to generate a 3D animation of an open sea. The complex and trial and error process resulted in an expansive, realistic 3D animation of a seascape complete with clouds and shoreline that drew gasps and applause from the group. Dennis is an unassuming and highly gifted specialist.

Josh Tan presented examples of how 2D medical digital imaging can be converted into a precise and dynamic 3D medically exact model. This process enables physicians to take virtual, but factual, tours of the patients body, locating tumors, aneurysms, and hidden fractures. Mr. Tan also share the fun (if still incomplete) programming of a Kinect controller adapted to allow motion navigation through a 3D model program. Josh also share a video of 3D model printing as well as a sample of a printed human skull. He had to tell us it wasn't real.

Thomas Tucker showed some clever examples of taking existing 3D modeling research to full animation. The man made a dog skeleton walk in "Night at the Museum" style. Best of all, Mr. Tucker showed several 3D animation projects that were inspired by the images taken from his meditations. Yes, Thomas Tucker has dare to animate dreams!

DeEtta Famiano and David Norman concluded our evening with a presentation of the expansive capabilities of laser scanner data collection - which sounds clever enough, but when applied to topographical and terrain mapping is just downright amazing. Their current project for the restoration of Moody's Furnace has interesting implications for construction site research and large project commercial development. Future applications include our very own I-40 Business corridor here in Winston-Salem, NC.

3D modeling and animation is very much alive in the Triad and it appears may be responsible for bringing a great deal "to life" in our community. Special thanks to Nickolay Hristov and the Center for Design Innovation for an educational and inspirational evening.

DATS'10 Symposium Provides Weekend Where Food , Art and Technology Intersect

DATS 2010 explores how food-related designs can help to develop a sustainable culture of healthy lifestyles through good eating. Interdisciplinary teams are creating implements, furnishings and environments to promote thinking and learning about healthy food. This weekend long symposium entitled Food For Thought: Nourish Roots, Cultivate Ideas, Harvest Change will be at The Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts.

For more information : http://2010.datstriad.org/wordpress/about/

Winston + Salem = Arts and Innovation

Read this in-depth article in Winston-Salem Monthly magazine about the history of the city's efforts to grow its technology sector. From the article:

The Twin City's wealth of higher education gives us a competitive edge in the 21st century and is part of what makes its Piedmont Triad Research Park, an innovation community for life sciences and information technology, so dynamic and flush with collaborative opportunities. "Life outside the lab makes all the difference," the park's website states. "The city of Winston-Salem nurtures intellectual and business opportunities, stimulating its residents' creativity and their visions for the future."

Read the entire article here.

Motion Capture Film Techniques Have Practical Applications

What is "motion capture"?
If you've been to the movies lately, to see films like Avatar and Beowolf, you've probably heard about "motion capture." You may know that it's a set of computer techniques that enable cartoon characters to move the way real people do, like the dancing penguins in Happy Feet.
What you might not realize is that these same techniques can be useful in health care, as when physical therapists study the movements of elderly folks trying to reach or to maintain balance as they walk. Occupational therapists, too, can make better diagnoses and recommendations – for example, in drivers' rehabilitation. The same techniques can also inform designs for prosthetic and orthotic devices.
Captured motion data can give choreographers new ways to create dances, and athletic coaches new methods for planning sports moves. Athletes can get new views of their own movements, to better learn how to make the best jump shot or golf swing.
"Motion capture" refers to photographic and electronic means of tracking and digitally recording information about how things move. Example methods involve thermal imaging and high-speed videography.
Often the process involves markers that reflect light or transmit electronic signals. "MoCap" experts place these markers on the articulated joints of dancers or other moving forms, and cameras or other receivers register the changes in location as the form moves. Specialized software tools then enable showing these captured data visually, via computer displays.
Collaborators at the Center for Design Innovation are steadily developing MoCap capabilities. In time, Winston-Salem and the North Carolina's Piedmont area will become known for innovations stemming from these skills and techniques. You can follow their progress and the work of Carol Strohecker, their Director at:
http://www.CenterforDesignInnovation.org/Research/MotionCapture.php/