Mixels: Fabricating Interfaces using Programmable Magnetic Pixels

Abstract

Fabrication PipelineMagnetic Pixels Application Use Cases a b cFigure 1: Mixels are interfaces made from programmable magnetic pixels. Users can create Mixels using our custom design and fabrication pipeline: (a) an inexpensive hardware add-on consisting of an electromagnet and hall effect sensor clipped on to a 3-axis CNC can both write and read magnetic pixels, (b) the resulting magnetic interfaces can be programmed to attract and repel only in specific configurations and are otherwise agnostic, (c) this enables a variety of applications, ranging from selectively paired yet visually identical objects, to haptics and guided assembly.