Why did I make what - Short version

This page is for everybody interested in my final project without having to read trough the entire process of making it. In Short: I took the MIT FabAcademy course and made an frame holding a Thermochromic painting. The painting shows the wind forecast by changing color according to the forecast.

Table of Content

What is the FabAcademy?
Introduction to my final project
Previous Fab projects using thermo inks
Inspiration from other Thermochromatic projects (art)
Vision of my Final project
Hero Time: My final project

What is the FabAcademy?

From academany.org: “The Fab Academy Diploma consists of a 5 month part-time student commitment”. “part-time student commitment” ??? DONT LET THEM FOOL YOU!!! I never worked so hard in my entire life!

But I learned digital fabrication: design something on a computer and use machines to realize it. Machines like the laser-cutter, 3D printers, vinyl-cutters and CNC machines. The idea behind it is you can make almost everything from basic building blocks available in the FabLab. The Fablab is the place where they course is and where the machines and materials are. In my case ‘Fablab Waag Amsterdam’. We made something different every week, the the ‘Mastertest’ is the Final project described in this page.

Introduction to my final project

I’m a very passionate windsurfer although in the winter I mostly are kitesurfing. My job, girlfriend, car and cariere are more or less wrapped around my urge to go on the water when wind is blowing. But since I have a Child it is harder get my ‘windfix’. At home we agreed not to use phones or laptops on the kitchen table, so I can’t check the forecasts when I want. I want to display the wind in my kitchen in a non-intrusive way using ‘calm technology’. I teach ubiquitous computing and I preach the future of information is not Solly in screens. So I practice what I (pr/t)each.

Previous Fab projects using thermo inks

The FabAcademy runs for 11 years now. So everything you can think of is made. I looked for previous projects using Thermochromic dye. But could not find any really successful examples. All below more or less failed and don’t offer the resolution of information I need.

Textiles and Thermoink - Anastasia Tsaparoglou - Fablab Spinderihallerne in Denmark. She tried u use it on textiles, but burned the heatpaths and never was successfully. In her final project she left it out. (she named it ‘photochromic’)
Responsive Furniture - Anna Fusté Lleixà - Fablab Barcelona . Used it in her Final project, to heat cabinets. Created an heatpath using a PCB. This is not an option in my project, there is no space to make long copper traces.
Controlled PCB Copper Heatpath with a MOSFET - Francesca - Fablab Barcelona. She did not use PWM.