StructCode: Leveraging Fabrication Artifacts to Store Data in Laser-Cut Objects

Abstract

We introduce StructCode, a technique to store machine-readable data in laser-cut objects using their fabrication artifacts. StructCode modifies the lengths of laser-cut finger joints and/or living hinges to represent bits of information without introducing additional parts or materials. We demonstrate StructCode through use cases for augmenting laser-cut objects with data such as labels, instructions, and narration. We present and evaluate a tag decoding pipeline that is robust to various backgrounds, viewing angles, and wood types. In our mechanical evaluation, we show that StructCodes preserve the structural integrity of laser-cut objects.