Contextualizing Tech: Co-existing in Digital & Physical Worlds

Episode Transcript:

[00:00:00] Jonathan: What does that mean for art? Well, you have all these amazing tools at your fingertips, and you can create these really interesting experiences with this technology. And you can provide a new experience to your viewers.

[00:00:13] Jonathan: So you might create a. Physical installation, but you could create a digital experience that accompanies that.

[00:00:22] Isotta: This is Art Is… a podcast for artists where we brainstormed the future of the art world and the creative industries today. I'm sharing part one of my conversation with Jonathan. Jonathan is a senior manager of developer relations at tech soft 3D, and as 25 years of experience in the software development.

[00:00:46] Isotta: I was really excited to talk to Jonathan because as an engineer, he could really speak to the emergence of so many of the technologies we have been dissecting and discussing throughout season three of art is Jonathan provided a lot of context into the use cases of slightly older innovations, like 3d printing, along with newer ones, like open Meta versus

[00:01:06] Isotta: I found it really intriguing to contextualize how these technologies are being used in other industries like architecture and construction or aeronautical engineering in order for us to better visualize their current and future use cases in the art world and creative industries.

[00:01:22] Isotta: Jonathan had tons of awesome ideas around the increasing role of blended digital and physical experience. And the development of digital assets associated with physical objects Speaking to our larger interest in understanding the creative implications of the emerging web three ecosystem.

[00:01:39] Isotta: I really learned a lot speaking with Jonathan and I especially enjoyed his technical. So I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did also, I would love it. If you took a moment to leave, art is a rating and review in apple podcasts.

[00:01:52] Isotta: It really helps others find us.

[00:01:55] Jonathan: my name is Jonathan Girroir and I'm, senior tech marketing manager here at tech soft 3d, and the chief technology evangelists. And, little bit of my background. I have grown up around science and technology and from a very young age, at an interest in computer graphics, back in the eighties was interested in the apple two week computer, one of the first personal computers and, was introduced to two graphics through that.

[00:02:23] Jonathan: And then all through my primary education and into university, I focused on. On things that were tangible, at least visual has always really interests me. And I'm focused on computer graphics. And now through my, through my professional career, I have always done 3d graphics in one way or. Never in video games or entertainment.

[00:02:46] Jonathan: first in science and technology, we helped visualize 3D structures using microscopes. So that was a real interesting place where we were helping people see neurons and pancreatic cells and cells dividing doing research there. And now for the last 14 years, I've been working at tech soft 3d, and we provide us a suite of different tools.

[00:03:11] Jonathan: In 3d graphics for 3d engineering and building and construction. So anything that's 3d that's not, media entertainment and games. we're supporting companies, to create compelling software, to create the built world. So it could be building engines or planes and trains or buildings, or coffee mugs.

[00:03:32] Jonathan: So anything that's 3D, is something that we're providing technology in that space.

[00:03:38] Isotta: I think it's interesting that perhaps the overlap between our two worlds might not be so obvious at the. But throughout this third season, we've really been interested in looking at the overlap of art and tech, really investigating how emerging artists can leverage innovation and technology and utilize tech tools to accelerate professionally and creatively.

[00:04:00] Isotta: So maybe just as zoom out a bit, what do you think are the main tech developments that are happening in our world right now that you find particularly interesting and that perhaps you might see some crossover with the creative industries.

[00:04:13] Jonathan: throughout history there's been. Improvements developments and textiles and chemistry. And so as new formulation of let's say paints or techniques of building things, I know you're in sculpture, that's all kind of a certain type of technology that has emerged in society metallurgy and, Now we have electronic art, right?

[00:04:34] Jonathan: So that's been around for awhile and digital art. And as our technological world continues to innovate, there's new mediums for us to be working in. And so we've seen a real coming of age of different types of technology. I think a mature technology right now, is 3d printed. So that's something that probably in the last decade has been perfected in a way where I can have a 3d printer on my desk.

[00:05:03] Jonathan: For a low price point and be able to create using that. so 3d printers, just to talk a little bit about those, they allow you to create 3d structures, out of different materials and just like a printer will deposit ink or use a laser to somehow deposit. material on a piece of paper, these 3d printers deposit, many kinds of plastic or a composite and layer by layer.

[00:05:26] Jonathan: It can build up a 3d object and this was done for industries so they could print prototypes, but a lot of artists have taken that and have been creating and selling their wares on digital marketplaces. Figurines and utilitarian objects. and also creative works, beautiful creative works, out of it could be out of plastic.

[00:05:49] Jonathan: The technology has a dance where you can at a cost, create things out of metal. So they're more enduring. but you can create things here that. elsewhere, you can't sculpt, you can't forge on you. Can't weld. And the intricacy is amazing. And then the structures that you're able to create, can be really beautiful.

[00:06:10] Jonathan: Repeating lattice works and attention to detail. people in fact are using computers to generate some of these sculptures in a, say a programmatic way, so repetitive way or even an organic way using an algorithm. so that's something that we're seeing and that's a mature technology. So it's something that I can buy online or sometimes even go to a store and buy off the shelf.

[00:06:35] Jonathan: and we're seeing, that's something that, that really is being part of our mainstream, community. Something that a little bit newer is you've probably heard quite a bit. As of late, let's say the last few months, this idea of the metaverse, which is being driven by lot of different companies, Facebook rebranded as Meta to, to start building digital worlds and change their focus.

[00:06:58] Jonathan: And Microsoft bought a gaming company to try to build digital worlds as well. this Can include virtual reality and, augmented reality. But the metaverse I think is emerging. I haven't quite figured out what it is and. And how we're going to use it. How are, how we're going to live in it.

[00:07:17] Jonathan: At least from my primary focus is around industry and technology. And if we haven't figured out how to do that, a lot of people are experimenting with it, creating courses, digital worlds, or digital virtual art. but we're, I think there's a long way to go there, but it's exciting to see that. and again, it's, it's coming down to a price point where.

[00:07:39] Jonathan: It's more accessible to people and that the variety of tools that we have to create in these digital worlds, these virtual worlds is also increasing. so I do hope that we see an awful lot of innovation in this space.

[00:07:54] Isotta: That's so interesting. just out of curiosity, like what is the use case of the metaverse for engineering and like tech products that you guys work on?

[00:08:05] Jonathan: So I have to back up just a second and define the metaverse. and that's, whenever you talk about it, you asked many times people will ask, what does the metaverse mean to you or in your space?

[00:08:15] Jonathan: I view the metaverse as a,a digital world or a digital representation of something. And, there can be connected, so I can exist in this digital world. It could be just on my screen, could be just on my phone. It could be 3d, it could just be information. but now with augmented and virtual reality headsets, you can jump into that world a little bit more and because of connectivity.

[00:08:38] Jonathan: Of the internet we can co-exist maybe in that digital world. So it could be through a role-playing game or a digital world. Like second life could be roadblocks or fortnight where we all exist in this space, or it could be fully immersive with a VR headset. We're now on stepping into this digital world and interacting with people.

[00:09:00] Jonathan: For engineering, we've been dealing with digital worlds for decades. from the invention of CAD, you create a digital representation of something, and then you go off and you build it or you manufacture it. And so there's always this digital representation on someone's desktop, in a CAD file, like a plan layout for a building or a 3d model of something that I'm going to manufacturer, but it's.

[00:09:27] Jonathan: Primarily focused on just one part. And so now we're seeing all of those parts coming together, or instead of representing just a machine we're herpes sending the machine in the factory and we're able to experience that. Th maybe on my screen or I could experience it with a VR headset and really placed myself in there.

[00:09:48] Jonathan: So for me, the metaverse really is a combination. All of that is taking all of our digital information, bringing it together and then interacting with it, maybe as an individual or in a collected environment with multiple people interacting and seeing the same thing. So back to your question, how are we seeing the metaverse or let's say digital worlds being used.

[00:10:09] Jonathan: In an innovative way today. Let's say everybody has, or many engineers are fairly familiar with CAD and using that, but how do we bring that together and utilize it, especially with these new technologies. AR and VR headsets or AR on your phone, which many of us are familiar with maybe a shopping experience, placing a couch in my living room and visualizing it on my phone and in an AR context.

[00:10:35] Jonathan: engineering team. Before they go and build a car, which is especially a prototype car, which is an expensive and labor intensive endeavour. If we have all of that, design information on our computers in a digital format, if we go off and build a physical. Thing. we can review the design with a, let's say a VR headset, so we can immerse ourselves in that design and review it and say, oh, this doesn't aesthetically look well, or more importantly, this doesn't work ergonomically.

[00:11:09] Jonathan: if I place myself in this car and I am trying to reach or look behind me, What's my experience looking over my shoulder. And so we're able to do design review, which is a very important part of the engineering process virtually before we go and build it same with building anything. So you can experience before I go and build this huge structure on artistic structure and installation.

[00:11:37] Jonathan: I can model it in. Let's say engineering CAD package and experience it before I go off and spend all the time, and energy building this. And so you can refine the experience prior to going off and building this saves time and money. many engineering teams are dispersed throughout. The country or the world.

[00:11:57] Jonathan: And so allowing them to collaborate digitally, that's another use case, that we're seeing more and more of, instead of having to bring clients to a particular location, you can give them that experience and do that design review or that collaboration, as well. another use case that we're seeing quite a bit is once the product is built, providing.

[00:12:18] Jonathan: Real time and useful, context for maintenance. I remember working on, let's say my car, trying to replace a part under the hood and I have my manual and I'm looking at the picture in my manual and I'm looking at what's underneath the hood and I'm like, this does not match. so now we can represent, what's been made digitally on, let's say.

[00:12:41] Jonathan: Allow a pass through of a video feed we can align. What is, the digital, let's say picture with what's being seen by the camera on a tablet or a phone, and then provide extremely accurate contextual information about replacing a part. You can show it this assembly. It can show. this registration and it makes it much easier to do maintenance, to do troubleshooting.

[00:13:08] Jonathan: And when we talked about the, metaverse not just for me looking at not a manual, but just take my tablet. Take a picture of my car and or piece of machinery in a factory. I can then have an expert. Maybe I'm not an expert, I'm not a mechanic. but somebody could then call in and see what I'm seeing and annotate in real time on my tablet.

[00:13:30] Jonathan: This is what you need to do. And so we also allow for remote, troubleshooting, and assistance. We're seeing that today. What does that mean for art? Well, you have all these amazing tools at your fingertips, and you can create these really interesting experiences with this technology. And you can provide a new experience to your viewers.

[00:13:48] Jonathan: So you might create a. Physical installation, but you could create a digital experience that accompanies that. And so we see at Disney world there's physical experience of going on the star wars riots, but there's also this digital experience that's been created and curated for you as you're waiting in line.

[00:14:09] Jonathan: a lot of the installations. Art installations too, are seeing these kind of blend of the actual experience and digital information being overlaid with it. So it could be a digital tour, contextual information, or just a full experience. That's been curated for you that you experienced in real life.

[00:14:28] Jonathan: And then also in this virtual world.

[00:14:30] Isotta: is that. You mean when you say like digital twin, like a digital copy of a physical,

[00:14:36] Jonathan: Yeah. So in, in our space and, particularly mechanical engineering, And also building and construction. Digital twin is a buzzword. People are talking about it at conferences, and if you use it in your marketing, it's really attractive. the digital twin is a copy of what's been built. So let's say I build say build a, an office building.

[00:15:06] Jonathan: initially before it's built, I have to draft it using electronic software drafting software, maybe AutoCAD or, the 3d equivalent more relevant now is Revvit is a 3D, owned by the same company, but a 3d drafting tool. So I have a digital copy now of the building and I go and build it that digital twin, the digital copy when we deliver the.

[00:15:31] Jonathan: The physical building. we also deliver the digital asset associated with it and it becomes the digital twin of what's been built. And that twin, where does it live? It might live on somebody whose computer, it might live up on the cloud. it's definition is kind of loose, but it is a representation of what's been built.

[00:15:51] Jonathan: What's more important is. The ability to go and edit that as things change, let's say, as you remodel good example, but more importantly, that digital twin save has, that file. Not only does it have all the floors and all the walls and all the windows and all the doors, but it has all the plumbing and all of the electrical conduit and all of the heating ventilation and air conditioning equipment.

[00:16:20] Jonathan: that equipment needs to be maintained and may need to be replaced. There may be a maintenance plan with it. And so that file or whatever, that digital twin, however it exists could be a database, could be an Excel sheet, but it more mature. Now they have databases and 3d viewers and whatnot on that maintenance information gets updated.

[00:16:40] Jonathan: And so now if I built two identical buildings and delivered them to different clients,

[00:16:45] Jonathan: you may have two buildings, but. Digital file. Originally They'll change differently over time, they'll diverge. And so that digital twin kind of follows that building as time goes on. So you have a, an exact representation of what's going on. So maybe if that building is sold to another client, five years later, they have all that information.

[00:17:08] Jonathan: They don't have to go in and say, I want to take this wall out. Is that going to affect the structural integrity of my. Same thing with airplanes, which is really important. it's an area that's heavily, governed by different regulations. You need a digital record of what's been changed on the airplane and the maintenance record of everything there.

[00:17:25] Jonathan: And so there's a digital twin that follows each individual airplane through its lifespan. that's one kind of way. The digital twin is being used in industry. On top of that, we can actually overlay additional like real-time information. So we have a factory that's producing widgets. each of those machines may have a certain amount of hours that they're able to.

[00:17:50] Jonathan: Manufacturer parts machine parts. they may wear out and need to be replaced. there's sensors within those machines, temperature, sensors, and vibration sensors. We can collect all that real time information and make intelligent decisions around them. We can predict, when maybe a part or a machine is going to fail.

[00:18:10] Jonathan: And that allows us to do preventative maintenance, knowing that. this is close to failure. We've seen this type of behavior before. let's bring the machine down for maintenance tonight. Instead of next week, when we have a big job we have to deliver on and allows us to ensure uptime, it's supposed to something breaking and having to.

[00:18:31] Jonathan: Scramble to try to fix that with deadlines. this is really interesting IOT, kind of these sensors and being able to move, bits of information around, is also interesting, we see art installations that have proximity sensors and kind of at a very, again, a very low cost, interact with.

[00:18:48] Jonathan: The world around them. So it could be interacting with the environment in terms of light and temperature, or as people approach it. being able to interact with these objects, because they're now smart. They have these devices embedded in them.

[00:19:01] Jonathan: our website is tech soft, 3d.com. We do have a virtual event coming up on March 9th, we have a developer day that we're hosting virtually it's free to attend. We're inviting people from our community to present and to connect.

[00:19:17] Jonathan: And that's part of, our playbook here at tech soft 3D.

[00:19:21] Jonathan: I'm primarily a LinkedIn user, so you can find me Jonathan Girroir, on LinkedIn.

[00:19:28] Isotta: Thank you for listening to Art Is… a podcast for artists. This episode I'd like to thank Jonathan from tech soft 3d for sharing his technical knowledge and interesting ideas with us.

[00:19:40] Isotta: Stay tuned to hear part two of our conversation about innovation adoption and online community building coming later on in season three. also, I would love it.

[00:19:50] Isotta: If you took a moment to reflect on who in your life might also benefit from listening to this podcast, When you do, please share art is a podcast for artists with them, so we can continue to grow the show organically and brainstorm the future of the art world today.

[00:20:04] Isotta: You can also support the work I do by subscribing wherever you listen. And by donating to the podcast, the link to do so is in the episode. Okay. That's it for now. Thanks so much.

[00:20:14] Isotta: And see you next Wednesday.