We present an interactive editing system for laser cutting called kyub. Kyub allows users to create models efficiently in 3D, which it then unfolds into the 2D plates laser cutters expect. Unlike earlier systems, such as FlatFitFab, kyub affords construction based on closed box structures, which allows users to turn very thin material, such as 4mm plywood, into objects capable of withstanding large forces, such as chairs users can actually sit on. To afford such sturdy construction, every kyub project begins with a simple finger-joint "boxel"-a structure we found to be capable of withstanding over 500kg of load. Users then extend their model by attaching additional boxels. Boxels merge automatically, resulting in larger, yet equally strong structures. While the concept of stacking boxels allows kyub to offer the strong affordance and ease of use of a voxel-based editor, boxels are not confined to a grid and readily combine with kuyb's various geometry deformation tools. In our technical evaluation, objects built with kyub withstood hundreds of kilograms of loads. In our user study, non-engineers rated the learnability of kyub 6.1/7.

Several systems have illustrated the concept of interactive fabrication, i.e. rather than working through a digital editor, users make edits directly on the physical workpiece. However, so far the interaction has been limited to turn-taking, i.e., users first perform a command and then the system responds with physical feedback. In this paper, we present a first step towards interactive fabrication that changes the workpiece continuously while the user is manipulating it.

With an increased interest in Organic User Interface, it becomes more and more important to help designers create deformable devices. One current challenge is the integration of rigid and soft electronic components with the device. In this paper, we propose to place electronic components based on how the user is interacting with the device, i.e., in which way the device is being deformed. For this, we developed a prototyping tool that takes as input a set of captured user gestures and a 3D model of the deformable device, and then visualizes the stress distribution resulting from the deformation during interaction. Our tool finally suggests where not to place components because the location is highly deformed when users interact (e.g., where not to place a rigid battery that would constraint interaction); or alternatively where to place components to sense deformation more accurately and efficiently (e.g., a bend sensor to detect a specific gesture, an energy harvesting component). We evaluated our approach by collecting interaction data from 12 users across 3 deformable devices (a watch, camera, and mouse) and applied the resulting stress distributions to the placement of selected electronic components.