4Doodle: 4D Printing Artifacts Without 3D Printers

4D printing encodes transformability over time, which empowers users to create artifacts by on-demand deformation. The creative process of 4D printing shape-changing artifacts can be challenging because of its discontinuous fabrication steps, such as digital designing, specific path planning, automatic printing and manual triggering. We hypothesize that switching from typical 4D printing reliant on 3D printers to a more “handcrafted” method can allow users to understand and continuously reflect upon the artifact and its transformability. Towards this vision, we introduce 4Doodle, a hybrid craft approach that integrates unique deformation controllability and five techniques for freehand 4D printing, using a 3D pen. To tackle the shape-changing challenges of uncertain hands-on fabrication, we develop a mixed reality system to help novices master the manual skills of 4D printing. We also demonstrate a series of 4D printed artifacts with fully human intervention. Finally, our user study shows that 4Doodle lowers the skill-acquisition barrier associated with handcrafting 4D printed artifacts, and it has great potential for creative production and spatial ability.