Summary: |
This paper describes an instance of the author’s ongoing research in the field of Generative Design. The work is based on the premise that computer-aided design (CAD) should evolve beyond its current limitation of one-way interaction, and become a dynamic, intelligent, multi-user environment that encourages creativity and actively supports the evolution of individual, mass-customised designs which exhibit common features. The understanding of fundamental shape-forming processes in nature inspires us to move beyond the existing CAD paradigms and re-examine the way we can benefit from the computers in design. We can use this knowledge to create a new generation of computer-based design tools which use evolutionary search algorithms to generate create a common family of individual designs optimised according to particular criteria, while supporting our design intuition. The author explores this idea by illustrating a research project between the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Deakin University (Australia). The project implements a multi-user oriented design tool for evolutionary design, which was tailored to produce a simple object such as door handle. The paper first gives a short historical and philosophical to the work, then describes the technical and algorithmic requirements, and implementation of the system. It concludes by describing an experiment in which the system was used on a "live" test group of people to generate individual, mass-customised designs. |