Bio Bling: Design Your Own Cellular Jewelry
Diamonds are passé. Wanna get someone a truly unique gift? How about their own biology-inspired jewelry? Cell Cycle is a line of 3-D printed rings, pendants, and bracelets that let customers collaborate with designers over a web app to create custom pieces. Created by Nervous System, the company’s organic ornaments offer a glimpse into the future of mass-customized design. Cell Cycle is a physible generator. Physibles are digital files destined to drive a 3-D printer or other rapid prototyping tool to create a physical object. You might have heard about them when The Pirate Bay launched them as a new category, alongside audio, video, apps, and games.
Rosenkrantz sees Nervous System’s work as being part of a larger trend towards mass-customization. She hopes that more objects, be they hand made or industrially produced will be individualized in their creation. “We think we are moving to a new system where more products will be made locally on-demand and interactive techniques are used to more directly engage the customer in the creative process.” If she’s right, physics will be at the core.
