Cutting the complexity from digital carpentry

Many products in the modern world are in some way fabricated using computer numerical control (CNC) machines, which use computers to automate machine operations in manufacturing. While simple in concept, the ways to instruct these machines is in reality often complex. A team of researchers including those from the University of Tokyo devised a system to demonstrate how to mitigate some of this complexity. Draw2Cut allows users to draw desired designs directly onto material to be cut or milled. In this case, color-coded lines drawn with standard marker pens instruct the Draw2Cut system to mill designs into wood without any prior knowledge of CNC machines or their typical workflows.

Various technologies can be said to democratize some skill or ability that was previously only accessible to those with time, money, luck, or all three. Ploughs, tractors, the printing press, the internet -- the list goes on. In recent years, things like ...