1. Towards Interactive Generation/Production Processes (Design and Fabrication)
Person A: Sets one "Seed of Shape."
Computer: Derives numerous more types from the one that was set, expanding them to numerous sizes, duplicating only numbers in several cases, and substantiating the types as many "pieces."
Person B: Sets another "Seed of Shape."
Computer: Derives numerous more types from the second one that was set, again expanding them to numerous sizes, again duplicating only numbers in several cases, and again substantiating the types as many "pieces."
Person C: Sets another "Seed of Shape."
Computer: Derives numerous more types from the third one that was set, again expanding them to numerous sizes, again duplicating only numbers in several cases, and again substantiating the types as many "pieces."
Person D: Sets yet another "Seed of Shape."
Computer: Derives numerous more types from the fourth one that was set, yet again expanding them to numerous sizes, yet again duplicating only numbers in several cases, and yet again substantiating the types as many "pieces."
As this process being repeated, when an ample amount of "pieces" have been produced, they are mixed thoroughly and spread out on amply wide floor. This condition becomes the "Sea of probabilities" containing countless combinations.
Now, then…
Lesson 1 (Revise the 20th Century):
From a disorderly, mixed-up state (chaos) as far as possible create clearly regular shapes.
Lesson 2 (Practice for the 2010s):
When the two polar opposites, disorder (0) and order (1) have been confirmed, carefully examine the field of the stages in between - more regular than chaos, more chaotic than regular. Produce at least 10 shape types and try lining them up in order of regularity.
2. Towards Exploratory Application/Discovery Process (Application and Observation)
From the group of "smaller than body" pieces, create an ample number of "toy" types, and when you have been able to become accustomed to pieces' assemble principles, repeat the entire procedure with the middle-sized (same size as body) group. The "objects" produced here should be able to be used as "sculptures" (sculpture-like items) by people who desire to look at them; as "toys" (toy-like items) by people who desire to play with them; and as "furniture" by people who desire to use them as livingware. Imagine that something like an entire house could eventually be created if the pieces are enlarged.
Now, then…
Lesson 1 (Revise the 20th Century):
Using the shapes here, try finding various ways of "fixing" the personal belongings you have today.
Lesson 2 (Practice for the 2010s):
Apply various "uses" to a certain "object" and after trial and error discover the most comfortable (relaxed) usage method and give the "object" an appropriate name, and then "grasp" it.
3. Points to Constantly Bear in Mind
Do not forget that you can disassemble all the pieces and start over again from the "Sea of probabilities." Moreover, in the case that you cannot produce the desired shape from existing pieces, however hard you try, it is not impossible to create new pieces.
When programming a virtual world, the developer faces the following questions as the Creator of that world: How should I design the world so that events occur with a certain certainty? What events should occur and with what degree of certainty? How should I fine-tune the basic principles that control the world - rules and patterns - so that probabilistic distribution changes and events fluctuate? How will probabilistic distribution change, and how will events fluctuate? The developer decides initial settings, launches the process, and observes the results that are generated. He then changes the initial settings and repeats the process. Since it is impossible to search for all possible combinations manually, algorithms are defined and an exhaustive search made for a broad range of possibilities. Through this process, a group of invisible laws linking rules and results - the world's deep layers - are revealed.
By using the programming method, it is possible to replace a possibility problem with a probability (certainty) problem to be examined empirically. It is possible to replace inspirations obtained through instinct and imagination with manipulable targets and delve deeply into them intellectually.
We who are gradually completing this kind of research method in the world of bits (Metaverse) are now taking "experiments" out of the computer and extending them to the real world, and we are able to perform experiments using the everyday life as the stage as well. As long as we are using the physical world as an experimental laboratory, we cannot freely change settings such as "gravity" and "variables," like in the virtual world, but in exchange, it is possible for us to design our own minimum elements of matter (atoms) instead of minimum elements of information (bits) and test the behavior of these (in this context, a three-dimensional printer is quite useful).
In atomic theory, "all matter is composed of extremely small, nondivisible particles." According to this, the various kinds of particles form the basis for all kinds of substances, with the particles moving around freely in space and binding with each other (combining) probabilistically. The binding and unbinding of these particles cause various events, which is said to have created the world.
This time we wanted to design a new "element for artifacts," and we also wanted to set places where the elements performed various behaviors. What we created is the "Group of fragments that may become meaningful shapes with some certainty." The fragments comprise a fixed number and variety, and they are combined probabilistically to form complex structures. This mechanism closely resembles that whereby atoms combine to form molecules. However, the fragments have been given a certain "shape (geometry)," and so the complex structures that are formed are a little more like meaningful "three-dimensional shapes" than "molecules"; whether or not these "shapes" truly have meaning and an application is ultimately something that humans decide. Their shape is evaluated according to a most humanistic selection between "application" and "meaning." If humans intervene with the body and discover a "usage method," the shape will ultimately survive. It may be possible to tentatively label substances that survive as "toys," "furniture," and "fixture." However, behind this process testing and elimination of an enormous number of shapes will be carried out.
How many types of fragments should be produced, and how should they be produced, so that an amply diverse range of combinations can be achieved, then tried and tested, and places where a variety of forms can survive generated? We intend to continue testing the relationship between rules/patterns and the "world of shapes" created as a result while incorporating feedback again and again.
