Created by Robb Godshaw and Max Hawkins, Smaller & Upside Down is a collection of custom designed 3D-printed lenses, each custom-designed and fabricated using new rapid prototyping processes.

The lenses were made using Rhino and Neon, relying on ray-tracing technique offered by most 3d rendering packages. In this particular case, T-Splines plugin for Rhino was used (see video below) that made it easier to design smooth lens geometries. To 3d print lenses, the duo used 3d printers at Autodesk’s Pier 9 Workshop. This included the photosensitive resin Objet Connex 500 3D printer along with VeroClear transparent material to create half of the lenses. The other half were milled out of acrylic plastic on a 3-axis CNC router and finally sanded to optical clarity.

For more information and step-by-step guide, see Robb’s and Max’s instructable.

The project makes its public debut April 9-11, 2015 on San Francisco’s Market Street presented as part of the Market Street Prototyping Festival.

Project Page | Robb Godshaw | Max Hawkins

/via Golan