2022

captivating
digital experiences

Interface Design

all projects

Cinema4D Controller

The goal of the course was to create a custom hardware device that makes it easier to operate and use a software application. We explored questions such as: How can the control of digital devices be made more familiar to analog habits and expectations? What opportunities does this present? Our project focused on the Cinema4D program. We designed a tool to facilitate the rotation of a model in three-dimensional space, aiming to improve the program's functionality. This documentation provides insights into our development process.

Brainstorming

At first, we thought about which software we wanted to make our "little helper" for. We looked at different programs we use every day for our studies, like Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator. But we didn't see much potential for making them work better. Since we've been using Cinema4D a lot this semester, we quickly found features that we want to make easier to use every day with our gadget.

Application Area

In more detail, our project aims to simplify the rotation, zooming, and movement of 3D models in Cinema4D. Using an external control medium beyond conventional tools like a mouse and keyboard, we aim to provide users with an understanding of movements in the real world and the resulting actions in the 3D environment. This makes these program functions more intuitive and time-efficient through our control concept.

 

Target group

Our goal is to simplify and make everyday tasks more time-efficient for this group of individuals. We focus on the age range of 18 to 60 as it best encompasses those actively working in their professions. Professions of these individuals include students, engineers, and product developers. Additionally, other occupations and private use of Cinema4D as a hobby are not excluded.

Final result

We finished building a prototype for the semester exhibition so that we could test it completely. We programmed the functions with Arduino and built in sensors that give the program the spatial coordinates. In addition, we developed a rendering that should make it clear to the user what each movement means.