About

This workshop investigated the translation of swarm-based digital behavior into tangible material outcomes through an integrated computational–fabrication workflow. Using Processing as the primary simulation environment, we developed a series of generative scripts that explored the collective motion, interaction, and emergent geometries of multiple agents. These digital behaviors became the foundation for a set of fabrication experiments executed on a Roland MDX CNC milling machine.

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To bridge the digital and physical realms, we employed Processing and ArtCAM to convert visual or spatial outputs into numerical toolpaths. These toolpaths—essentially sequences of coordinate data—enabled precise control over the CNC machine’s movements. The process allowed us to mill outputs derived from static images, 3D models, and even the live behavior of the generative code itself.

Early explorations focused on milling images and processed 3D geometries, where color-mapped depth control in ArtCAM generated nuanced reliefs and topographies.

These initial tests established a workflow for translating simulated agent behavior into layered, materially expressive carvings. Subsequent phases of experimentation pushed this relationship further by establishing a direct, real-time feedback loop between simulation and fabrication. Using Processing, we sent toolpaths straight to the CNC machine, enabling the milling of agent trajectories as they unfolded live on screen.

This dynamic approach was expanded through an Arduino-based sensor system, where light sensors captured environmental input and fed it back into the simulation. As a result, both the digital behavior and the physical machining became interdependent—each influencing the other in a continuous, adaptive loop.

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Through this iterative process, the workshop demonstrated how digital swarm intelligence can be materially embodied, revealing new possibilities for responsive fabrication, interactive making, and computational craft.