Of Instruments and Archetypes, by Unfold Of Instruments and Archetypes, by Unfold
Of Instruments and Archetypes, by Unfold Of Instruments and Archetypes, by Unfold
Of Instruments and Archetypes, by Unfold Of Instruments and Archetypes, by Unfold

​Dutch Design Week 2014: Augmented tools bridge the digital-physical divide

23 : 10 : 2014 Dutch Design Week 2014 : Everyday Re-Enchantment : 3D Printing

Eindhoven – Of Instruments and Archetypes is an assembly of digitally augmented tools that allow users to design 3D printable objects with minimal effort.

The project is a collaboration between Unfold Studio, interaction designer Penny Webb and research lab Kirschner 3D, on show at Dutch Design Week. It consists of a caliper, a tape measure and a protractor, all of which can be manipulated to take measurements in the real world. The measurements are then translated and updated in a 3D printable file that is synchronised to the instruments. Each time a new measurement is taken, the file is updated accordingly.

The augmented tools are designed to look like and operate in the same way as the original tools. But unlike the originals, the innovative augmented tools don’t include measurement markers as the application running on the computer records all of this information. 

'We decided to remove all indications of units that are traditionally associated with measuring and replaced them with abstract markings,’ Dries Verbruggen, co-founder of Unfold Studio, tells LS:N Global. ‘We wanted to reconnect with the way of indicating a proper size using two fingers spaced apart intuitively.’

This project is a wonderful example of how technology can be seamlessly introduced into everyday objects so that it disappears and our interactions with it become almost magical. For more, see our Everyday Re-enchantment microtrend. 

Discover More Signals & Stats
London welcomes the world’s first Museum of Youth Culture

Signals & Stats

London welcomes the world’s first Museum of Youth Culture

The world’s first permanent museum dedicated to youth culture is set to open in Camden, London, in December 2025.
Visuals : Youth : Culture
Swedish insurer hacks social media algorithms with mental health anthem

Signals & Stats

Swedish insurer hacks social media algorithms with mental health anthem

Swedish insurer Länsförsäkringar Göteborg och Bohuslän has launched Detoxify, a subversive campaign that uses music to retrain harmful social media...
Insight : Sweden : Algorithms
Stat: Gen Z shuns the values most desired by hiring managers

Signals & Stats

Stat: Gen Z shuns the values most desired by hiring managers

New research from behavioural-science company Becoming You Labs reveals that only a small fraction of American Gen Z hold the three main values tha...
Youth : Gen Z : Work
Stella McCartney debuts plant-based feathers at Paris Fashion Week

Signals & Stats

Stella McCartney debuts plant-based feathers at Paris Fashion Week

At Paris Fashion Week, Stella McCartney unveiled a striking alternative to bird feathers: plant-based Fevvers.
Stella McCartney : Fevvers : Feathers
Pedestrians are walking faster and lingering less in public spaces

Signals & Stats

Pedestrians are walking faster and lingering less in public spaces

Pedestrians in American cities are moving faster and spending less time lingering in public spaces, according to a new study from MIT’s Senseable C...
MIT : Wellness : Design
Stat: Taylor Swift’s new album movie breaks US box office

Signals & Stats

Stat: Taylor Swift’s new album movie breaks US box office

Taylor Swift’s latest project, The Official Release Party of a Showgirl, turned a listening event into a box office hit, earning £24.6m ($33m, €28....
Pop Culture : Advertising : Media
Chanel’s le19M brings Parisian craftsmanship to Tokyo

Signals & Stats

Chanel’s le19M brings Parisian craftsmanship to Tokyo

Chanel’s le19M has landed in Tokyo with La Galerie du 19M Tokyo, an exhibition that unites Parisian artisans and Japanese craftspeople in a celebra...
Luxury : Fashion : Design
Healf 2025 explores the future of wellness, longevity and human potential

Signals & Stats

Healf 2025 explores the future of wellness, longevity and human potential

Held at London’s 180 Studios from 3–5 October, Healf 2025 brought together the leading voices in health and science to explore the future of w...
Global Events : Health And Fitness : Men's Health
Stat: Cognitive difficulties rising sharply among young American adults

Signals & Stats

Stat: Cognitive difficulties rising sharply among young American adults

A new study published in Neurology reveals a significant increase in self-reported cognitive difficulties among US adults, particularly those under...
Health : Wellness : US Market
Future Château launches mid-strength wines at Selfridges

Signals & Stats

Future Château launches mid-strength wines at Selfridges

Future Château, the new wine brand from author Tom Benn, is launching at Selfridges in October 2025 with a debut range of premium 5% ABV wines desi...
Drinks : Retail : Food
You have 0 free News articles remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.
BECOME A MEMBER
SIGN IN