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MOSAIC, Seattle, Aug. 2000 Turning Mathematical Models into Sculptures Carlo H. Séquin University of California, Berkeley
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Boy Surface in Oberwolfach ä Sculpture constructed by Mercedes Benz ä Photo from John Sullivan
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Boy Surface by Helaman Ferguson ä Marble ä From: “Mathematics in Stone and Bronze” by Claire Ferguson
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Boy Surface by Benno Artmann ä From home page of Prof. Artmann, TU-Darmstadt ä after a sketch by George Francis.
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Samples of Mathematical Sculpture Questions that may arise: ä Are the previous sculptures really all depicting the same object ? ä What is a “Boy surface” anyhow ?
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The Gist of my Talk Topology 101: ä Study five elementary 2-manifolds (which can all be formed from a rectangle) Art-Math 201: ä The appearance of these shapes as artwork (when do math models become art ? )
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What is Art ? What is Art ?
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Five Important Two-Manifolds cylinderMöbius band torusKlein bottlecross-cap X=0 X=0 X=0 X=0 X=1 G=1 G=2 G=1
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Deforming a Rectangle ä All five manifolds can be constructed by starting with a simple rectangular domain and then deforming it and gluing together some of its edges in different ways. cylinder Möbius band torus Klein bottle cross-cap
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Cylinder Construction
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Möbius Band Construction
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Cylinders as Sculptures Max Bill John Goodman
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The Cylinder in Architecture Chapel
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Möbius Sculpture by Max Bill
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Möbius Sculptures by Keizo Ushio
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More Split Möbius Bands Typical lateral split by M.C. Escher And a maquette made by Solid Free-form Fabrication
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Torus Construction ä Glue together both pairs of opposite edges on rectangle ä Surface has no edges ä Double-sided surface
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Torus Sculpture by Max Bill
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“Bonds of Friendship” J. Robinson 1979
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Proposed Torus “Sculpture” “Torus! Torus!” inflatable structure by Joseph Huberman
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“Rhythm of Life” by John Robinson “DNA spinning within the Universe” 1982
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Virtual Torus Sculpture “Rhythm of Life” by John Robinson, emulated by Nick Mee at Virtual Image Publishing, Ltd. Note: Surface is represented by a loose set of bands ==> yields transparency
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Klein Bottle -- “Classical” ä Connect one pair of edges straight and the other with a twist ä Single-sided surface -- (no edges)
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Klein Bottles -- virtual and real Computer graphics by John Sullivan Klein bottle in glass by Cliff Stoll, ACME
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Many More Klein Bottle Shapes ! Klein bottles in glass by Cliff Stoll, ACME
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Klein Mugs Klein bottle in glass by Cliff Stoll, ACME Fill it with beer --> “Klein Stein”
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Dealing with Self-intersections Different surfaces branches should “ignore” one another ! One is not allowed to step from one branch of the surface to another. ==> Make perforated surfaces and interlace their grids. ==> Also gives nice transparency if one must use opaque materials. ==> “Skeleton of a Klein Bottle.”
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Klein Bottle Skeleton (FDM)
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Struts don’t intersect !
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Fused Deposition Modeling
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Looking into the FDM Machine
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Layered Fabrication of Klein Bottle Support material
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Another Type of Klein Bottle ä Cannot be smoothly deformed into the classical Klein Bottle ä Still single sided -- no edges
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ä Woven by Carlo Séquin, 16’’, 1997 Figure-8 Klein Bottle
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Triply Twisted Fig.-8 Klein Bottle
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Avoiding Self-intersections ä Avoid self-intersections at the crossover line of the swept fig.-8 cross section. ä This structure is regular enough so that this can be done procedurally as part of the generation process. ä Arrange pattern on the rectangle domain as shown on the left. ä After the fig.-8 - fold, struts pass smoothly through one another. ä Can be done with a single thread for red and green !
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Single-thread Figure-8 Klein Bottle Modeling with SLIDE
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Zooming into the FDM Machine
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Single-thread Figure-8 Klein Bottle As it comes out of the FDM machine
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Single-thread Figure-8 Klein Bottle
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The Doubly Twisted Rectangle Case ä This is the last remaining rectangle warping case. ä We must glue both opposing edge pairs with a 180º twist. Can we physically achieve this in 3D ?
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Cross-cap Construction
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Significance of Cross-cap ä What is this beast ? ä A model of the Projective Plane ä An infinitely large flat plane. ä Closed through infinity, i.e., lines come back from opposite direction. ä But all those different lines do NOT meet at the same point in infinity; their “infinity points” form another infinitely long line.
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The Projective Plane C PROJECTIVE PLANE -- Walk off to infinity -- and beyond … come back upside-down from opposite direction. Projective Plane is single-sided; has no edges.
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Cross-cap on a Sphere Wood and gauze model of projective plane
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“Torus with Crosscap” Helaman Ferguson ( Torus with Crosscap = Klein Bottle with Crosscap )
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“Four Canoes” by Helaman Ferguson
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Other Models of the Projective Plane ä Both, Klein bottle and projective plane are single-sided, have no edges. (They differ in genus, i.e., connectivity) ä The cross cap on a torus models a Klein bottle. ä The cross cap on a sphere models the projective plane, but has some undesirable singularities. ä Can we avoid these singularities ? ä Can we get more symmetry ?
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Steiner Surface (Tetrahedral Symmetry) ä Plaster Model by T. Kohono
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Construction of Steiner Surface ä Start with three orthonormal squares … … connect the edges (smoothly). --> forms 6 “Whitney Umbrellas” (pinch points with infinite curvature)
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Steiner Surface Parametrization ä Steiner surface can best be built from a hexagonal domain. Glue opposite edges with a 180º twist.
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Again: Alleviate Self-intersections Strut passes through hole
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Skeleton of a Steiner Surface
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Steiner Surface ä has more symmetry; ä but still has singularities (pinch points). Can such singularities be avoided ? (Hilbert)
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Can Singularities be Avoided ? Werner Boy, a student of Hilbert, was asked to prove that it cannot be done. But found a solution in 1901 ! ä 3-fold symmetry ä based on hexagonal domain
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Model of Boy Surface Computer graphics by François Apéry
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Model of Boy Surface Computer graphics by John Sullivan
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Model of Boy Surface Computer graphics by John Sullivan
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Quick Surprise Test ä Draw a Boy surface (worth 100% of score points)...
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Another “Map” of the “Boy Planet” ä From book by Jean Pierre Petit “Le Topologicon” (Belin & Herscher)
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Double Covering of Boy Surface ä Wire model by Charles Pugh ä Decorated by C. H. Séquin: ä Equator ä 3 Meridians, 120º apart
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Revisit Boy Surface Sculptures Helaman Ferguson - Mathematics in Stone and Bronze
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Boy Surface by Benno Artmann ä Windows carved into surface reveal what is going on inside. (Inspired by George Francis)
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Boy Surface in Oberwolfach ä Note: parametrization indicated by metal bands; singling out “north pole”. ä Sculpture constructed by Mercedes Benz ä Photo by John Sullivan
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Boy Surface Skeleton Shape defined by elastic properties of wooden slats.
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Boy Surface Skeleton (again)
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Goal: A “Regular” Tessellation ä “Regular” Tessellation of the Sphere (Buckminster Fuller Domes.)
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“Ideal” Sphere Parametrization Buckminster Fuller Dome: almost all equal sized triangle tiles.
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“Ideal” Sphere Parametrization Epcot Center Sphere
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Tessellation from Surface Evolver ä Triangulation from start polyhedron. ä Subdivision and merging to avoid large, small, and skinny triangles. ä Mesh dualization. ä Strut thickening. ä FDM fabrication. ä Quad facet ! ä Intersecting struts.
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Paper Model with Regular Tiles ä Only meshes with 5, 6, or 7 sides. ä Struts pass through holes. ä Only vertices where 3 meshes join. --> Permits the use of a modular component...
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The Tri-connector
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Tri-connector Constructions
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Tri-connector Ball (20 Parts)
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Expectations ä Tri-connector surface will be evenly bent, with no sharp kinks. ä It will have intersections that demonstrate the independence of the two branches. ä Result should be a pleasing model in itself. ä But also provides a nice loose model of the Boy surface on which I can study various parametrizations, geodesic lines...
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Hopes ä This may lead to even better models of the Boy surface: ä e.g., by using the geodesic lines to define ribbons that describe the surface ä (this surface will keep me busy for a while yet !)
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Conclusions ä There is no clear line that separates mathematical models and art work. ä Good models are pieces of art in themselves. ä Much artwork inspired by such models is no longer a good model for understanding these more complicated surfaces. ä My goal is to make a few great models that are appreciated as good geometric art, and that also serve as instructional models.
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End of Talk
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=== spares ===
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Rotating Torus
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Looking into the FDM Machine
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