The mathematical sculptures of Henry Segerman

September 10, 2011 10:24 AM

Henry Segerman creates mathematical sculptures using 3D printing: Round Möbius Strip, Hopf Fibration, Half of a 120-cell, Rectified Tesseract, Tesseract and 16-cell, Hilbert Curve, Knotted Cogs, Round Klein Bottle

Segerman's work is available on Shapeways, a 3D printing market. Other cool stuff on Shapeways: Hyphae lamp, The Chrysanthemum Centrepiece, Lightpoem for LED candle, Steampunk Dice Set, Nocturnal Watch, Thugger 3.0, Nyan Pop Tart Cat.

Previously about 3D Printing. Via.

posted by Foci for Analysis (12 comments total)

He's giving me Hopf Fibrations. Na na na na na, na na na.
posted by pmcp at 10:41 AM on September 10, 2011 [1 favorite]

I was initially frustrated that I had to watch videos, but it was totally worth it.

I had no idea that the 3D Hilbert curve would be flexible like that. That's awesome.

And the versions of the 4-cube and the 16-cell were very nice. Making the edges smaller because they're farther away in the projection is a very nice touch.
posted by leahwrenn at 10:44 AM on September 10, 2011

These would make great handcuffs for LSD trippers.
posted by Horselover Phattie at 10:46 AM on September 10, 2011 [3 favorites]

The Laundry would like a word with this man.
posted by pyrex at 11:57 AM on September 10, 2011 [3 favorites]

Anyone that fibrate my Hopf can just go ahead and rectify my tesseract anytime.
posted by Stonestock Relentless at 12:05 PM on September 10, 2011 [1 favorite]

Those objects make my brain hurt. In a good way, though.
posted by ShutterBun at 12:42 PM on September 10, 2011

oh no

I did NOT need to find out about Shapeways.com
posted by DoctorFedora at 4:24 PM on September 10, 2011

So beautiful!
posted by nickyskye at 5:42 PM on September 10, 2011

I think we should build a full size Hopf Fibration, I'm certain that walking it one direction (may need magnetic boots) will transport one to Alpha Centuri, the other direction to Andromeda, and the other other direction to Amber.
posted by sammyo at 6:52 PM on September 10, 2011 [1 favorite]

It's cool that 3D printing has become a stable if nichey technology, there are service bureaus around, I happened to notice a card for one at the liqueur store where I pick up milk on the way to work. My google-fu fails.

I got to attend a really fun tour of Z Corp, still have a small model on my bookshelf. The somewhat sad story though was that for years this incredible technology that can make any shape imaginable and many most of us could not imagine, was kept in business largely by making tennis shoe prototypes.
posted by sammyo at 7:14 PM on September 10, 2011

The real question is: would these pass the "entertain a kid" test? If not, may I suggest the simliarly-mind-bogglingly-mathematical Hoberman Sphere (makes a great hat/helmet/goofy shirt!)
posted by obscurator at 8:48 PM on September 10, 2011

I actually might wear a Hilbert Curve bracelet.
posted by d1rge at 12:48 PM on September 11, 2011