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Sketch & Cut – Your drawing automatically cut by laser!

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Draw a shape on any material, put the drawing in Sketch&Cut and a laser will automatically cut your object for you. Sketch&Cut is the latest development in laser cutting, but it is so simple to use that anyone that is able to make a drawing can use it.

 

By combining laser cutting technology with computer vision Studio diip has developed a stand-alone, easy to use laser cutting machine that can be used by everyone with a pencil. Classic laser cutting devices use technical, computer generated 2D drawings created in software like CorelDraw or Adobe Illustrator. To use the Sketch&Cut laser cutter no technical skills are needed; just draw by hand what you want to cut or engrave and it will be done exactly like you drew it. You don’t even need a computer!


Sketch&Cut is useful for a lot of different disciplines but it is especially suitable for creating models, prototypes, jewelry, stencils, personalized packaging, signs and engraving. Sketch&Cut is fit for home use, for artisans, hobbyists and artists, but it can also be used for business and educational use.

Project
In 2013 we came up with the idea of combining our core expertise, computer vision, with one of their passions, the maker industry. We started testing the idea of a hand drawing laser cutter by buying a laser cutting machine and attaching a webcam to it. After experimenting with this setup for a while it became clear that we were able to write software that made it possible to recognize hand drawings. We then proceeded to translate these drawings into controlling a laser cutting machine and the first prototype was created.

How it works
In the current system the camera takes a picture of the material in the cutting area. This snapshot is used to detect the lines with computer vision technology. With a touchscreen you can then indicate what parts need to be cut and what needs to be engraved and just press the start button. The machine will then decide the best way to cut your drawing.

 

After a year of fine-tuning the concept and developing several prototypes we are preparing to take the leap to a Kickstarter project in the near future. We are hoping for your support in this campaign, so be sure to check our site regularly for updates!

 

 

Introducing MVX Systems

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Today Studio diip launches a new product called the MVX System. This system is a computer vision platform that can be placed anywhere to make processes smarter by performing computer vision functions. You can read more about MVX at the new website www.mvxsystems.com.

 

Modular software

The MVX system is a processing computer that can be connected to all sort of cameras and other peripherals. It runs software that can easily be tailored to specific situations because of its modular nature. The software contains building blocks that can be combined with a drag and drop interface to create intricate computer vision solutions. The MVX system is able to connect to a broad range of cameras, but also to various other devices providing the opportunity to control systems, monitors or communicate to online servers.

 

Flexible

An MVX can be configured to detect the quality of fruits and switch a sorting machine accordingly. That same system can be reconfigured to count the number of people that pass by in a certain area or to detect diseases on microscopic images. The flexible nature of the MVX system makes it very suitable for short term applications. The fact that there are no additional development costs for the software also makes the pricing transparent.

Read more about MVX systems and their use on the website!

 

Smart Kitchen: Enhancing Kitchen Activitities

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How can we show the added value of computer vision in an environment that people visit often? That was the task for the internship project of Brian Diephuis and you can see the result in this YouTube movie.

During his design process Brian managed to work out a lot of different possibilities and even tested some of them, like the vegetable recognizer. Eventually the decision was made to focus on the kitchen environment and to see what would be possible with a computer vision enhanced kitchen. In the demonstration video below you can see some interesting examples. By detecting several different objects on the kitchen counter the system can provide all sorts of information about the current state and give you suggestions and even show you where useful kitchen utensils are located. Although Brian’s internship has finished some time back we wanted to share the result of his work in this YouTube movie.

 

Enhancing board games with mobile computer vision

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Wouldn’t it be interesting if you could combine the expansive knowledge on the internet with the traditional world of board games? Studio diip has developed software for smartphones that makes this connection possible! With our custom libraries for iOS and Android we give developers and game designers the ability to include the power of computer vision in any app. Just point the camera towards a game board and the software will automatically detect the game type, board layout and the location of relevant game pieces.

Board games and computer vision are an excellent match. The often predefined static layout of a game board makes it possible to use very effective and efficient computer vision algorithms. Next to providing strategy information apps, like the one presented in the YouTube video, apps like this can become part of a game. They can add interactive tasks and actions because the application on the smartphone can really know what is happening on the board. Imagine things like being able to even out the odds for inexperienced players or to speed up a game when you don’t have much time left!