Nicole Hone, an industrial designer and graphic designer based in Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand, utilises her expertise in the realms of art and design and her intrigue for both natural and technological entities and innovations, to craft unique objects and curate atypical experiences. Her fascination with nature and the complex designs apparent in natural settings inspire her experiments in crafting, making and modelling objects that bear both a visual and functional resemblance to the environment. One of her works—existing at the intersection of technology, design, and nature—that recently caught my eye is Polyphytes, which comprises a set of objects that exhibit the dynamic qualities of 4D printing, whilst mimicking the vascular system in plants.

Polyphytes, a project undertaken by the designer in 2022, is a series of 3D printed entities that utilise a new feature of PolyJet printing known as Liquid Print. This project by Hone was undertaken with the MADE group from Victoria University of Wellington and directed by Ross Stevens. MADE (Multi-property Additive-manufacturing Design Experiments) is a research stream at the School of Design Innovation (in Victoria University of Wellington), which focuses on multi-material printing. Over the years, MADE has been working intending to expand the 3D printing technology, by innovating new materials for printers and developing novel application techniques. The collaboration between Hone and MADE provided the designer with exclusive early access to the PolyJet Research Package by Stratasys, which offers the opportunity to print with liquid support materials, to create soft parts, hydraulics and fluid-based models.

Stevens and Hone utilised this package to design objects that could interact with natural elements such as water, air and ice. “The primary intention was to show how these analogue physical objects can create a powerful visual display without the need of lengthy digital manipulation, in fact, their analogue ‘randomness’ exceeds the digital creation potential in intricate detail,” reads a description shared by the designer. These digital prototypes bear the potential of inhabiting the Object Reality (OR), a term coined by Ross Stevens. An amalgamation of the benefits afforded in virtual reality and augmented reality, OR can be described as a realm where ‘digital objects are taken from the virtual plane and given a life in the physical world, expanding the range of worlds for digital creations.’

The Polyphytes system, which utilises the new feature of PolyJet printing known as Liquid Print, allows the creation of airtight cavities filled with liquid inside an object, with the option of turning these into hollow channels. Hone modelled the Polyphytes system in Houdini. The final design is intricate, with a web of internal channels reserved for the flow of fluids. Later, these designs were printed using the Stratasys J850 printer. The resultant design is a 3D-printed series of objects, the appearance of which can be altered when various entities (such as water, air, smoke, icing sugar, bubble mixture or soap) flow through them. The physical effects visually apparent in these objects bear semblance to the processes of natural pollination and the flow of nutrients in plants. One can, hence, imagine the usage of a prototype for educational purposes as well as to enhance the aesthetic of a space. 

To better understand the inspiration behind Polyphytes, the process that helped shape the final pieces, as well as Hone's upcoming aspiration in this realm, STIR posed a few questions for the designer.

Almas Sadique: What is the ethos that guides your work?

Nicole Hone: I love the challenge of combining design, art, nature and technology to transform imagination into tangible 'wow' experiences. This obsession developed throughout my university studies as I completed a master’s degree in Industrial Design. For my thesis, I developed novel 3D/4D printing techniques for the film and exhibition industry. I have always been fascinated with the macro world of nature; from its beautifully bizarre aesthetics to complex biological functions. These qualities of the natural world inspire many of my projects.

Almas: How did you begin working on Polyphytes? What was the initial inspiration?

Nicole: The Polyphytes are the culmination of a research project carried out under the MADE group from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, directed by Ross Stevens. Stratasys allowed us to use their PolyJet Research Software Package before it was released to the public. This came with new features such as Liquid Print, Pause Print and Air Print, offering greater technical and creative freedom to design 3D printed objects from the inside out. Liquid print allows the creation of airtight cavities filled with liquid inside an object, with the option of turning these into hollow channels. Previously, such cavities would have been filled with support material and difficult to clean out. We decided to showcase the potential of Liquid Print in the most artistic way, demonstrating how a variety of physical effects could be created. Instinctively, I looked to the internal mechanisms of plants and methods of pollination for inspiration.

Almas: How did you visualise the design of Polyphytes? Tell us about the process: from imagining the form to putting it into production.

Nicole: The Polyphytes originated from a combination of research, experimentation and imagination. I enjoyed studying the microscopic veins, textures and colouration of various leaves. I then experimented with procedural 3D modelling in Houdini to achieve a similar effect. The models are designed with a series of internal channels, some as small as one millimetre in diameter. I adjusted the form and tolerances to control how liquid flowed through the objects. The project demonstrates the dynamic qualities of 4D printing by creating 3D prints that can function and change their aesthetic as various mediums flow through their internal channels; water, air, smoke, icing sugar, bubble mixture and soap.

Almas: What are the materials and equipment used to develop Polyphytes?

Nicole: They are printed on the Stratasys J850 in full-colour rigid photopolymer resin with variable levels of opacity. The enclosed voids are initially filled with PolyJet cleanser (liquid) which is drained out in post-production. This allows the channels to become instantly free-flowing.

Almas: How is the movement of the liquid within Polyphytes triggered? How does its movement bear semblance to the vascular system of plants?

Nicole: The Polyphytes are fitted with tubes and connected to a pumping system. This may be a manually operated syringe for careful control of water flow or a small power-operated pump to achieve greater force. Activation of the pump causes the liquid to move throughout its internal channels.

Vein-like structures inside the Polyphytes are like the network of cellular pathways in plants. In particular, the movement of substances in the Polyphytes reflects the concept of transpiration: how water and minerals are absorbed through the roots of a plant and released via small pores on the leaves.

Almas: What is the size of Polyphytes? Can it be shrunk down or expanded?

Nicole: The Polyphytes are small in size and could fit in the palm of your hand. Their dimensions and features can be readily customised. The procedural design system will update in Houdini if parameters are changed. Physical limitations are set by the Liquid Print feature as only a certain volume of liquid may be printed in a single object.

Almas: How is Polyphytes beneficial to people and nature?

Nicole: The Polyphytes showcase the potential of a new 3D printing feature by Stratasys - Liquid Print. The project acts to poetically express this advanced design freedom, encouraging artists, designers and engineers to explore the technology.

Liquid print provides the ability to design fluidic systems enclosed in a 3D print. This offers a more sustainable manufacturing option as integrating functionality inside an object would require fewer parts and assembly in post-production.

Almas: What are the practical usages of a system such as Polyphytes?

Nicole: The Polyphytes may be used for creating physical effects in the film industry or interactive models in an exhibition space. They could also be featured as a conceptual art installation, reminding viewers of the beauty and importance of natural processes in our environment. The Liquid Print feature may be useful for creating anatomical educational tools, soft robotics or biomedical devices.

Almas: Can Polyphytes change their texture, colour, or form, like natural plants do?

Nicole: While Polyphytes currently focus on the dynamic movement of substances within, future developments could explore the integration of responsive materials. This could allow for changes in texture, colour, or form, mirroring the adaptability seen in natural plant structures.

Almas: How does one dispose of the material used to make Polyphytes, once it stops serving the purpose it is designed to serve?

Nicole: Once photopolymer resin is cured, the material cannot be simply turned back into a liquid state through a reversible process. I understand that methods for recycling or reusing cured photopolymers are a work in progress in the 3D printing industry.

Almas: What are you currently working on, and what's NEXT for you?

Nicole: I have since teamed with professionals in the design and medical industry to form our company Simpath. We create 3D-printed anatomical simulation tools with advanced realism for education and training. Our recent project specialises in design for airway management where we 3D printed a human trachea. The model simulates complex internal abnormalities and dynamic activity such as inflation, constriction and bleeding. It can be used for anaesthesia training and was recently published in a medical journal. I am excited to apply my expertise in cutting-edge PolyJet technology to advance healthcare training and especially to make a positive impact on people’s health.