Project Video Coming Soon...
Innovation often starts with a spark of inspiration, while stepping into the future means merging the familiar with things not yet widely understood. My Minnesota Timberwolves wood wall art project embodied this journey. With the NBA playoffs igniting excitement and the debut of Apple's Vision Pro, I combined AR technology with traditional woodworking to demonstrate how emerging tech can be seamlessly integrated into everyday tasks. This project highlights the current and future uses and benefits of AR technology, making them more apparent and accessible.
Initial Concept: I planned to create a 24" diameter layered wood wall art of the Timberwolves logo. The idea was to use AR glasses to project a digital template onto the wood for precise cutting and assembling. A QR code on the wood helped align the AR template.
Goals: My main goal was to see if the AVP could handle a project like this, both technically and to test if the device was tough enough. I had previously tested AR templates with great success in intricately carving pumpkins using Microsoft's HoloLens glasses and creating canvas paintings (live on NBC!). AR templates will have nearly infinite uses in both business and personal projects as AR glasses become cheaper, smaller, and more accessible.
Template Drifting: One concern was how much the digital template would "drift." In AR, drifting is when the digital overlay moves out of alignment with the physical object or space due to slight miscalculations in the hardware and software. This is common in all of today’s AR glasses to a varying degree.
Ventilation Concerns: The AVP has active cooling with an internal fan. The concern was that this could suck sawdust and debris into the system and cause the glasses to stop working. I was going to repurpose an N-95 mask as a filter...but I thought, "Nah, forget it, yo, holmes to Bel-Air... Let's see if this device can handle a construction environment as is."
Approach: The project was all about testing Apple's new Vision Pro, so the tech choice was a given. The AR software we used is custom-built by Everyday AR, because that's kinda our thing. We call it Everyday Layers, and it’s designed to layer images and 3D objects over your physical space for many practical applications, giving precise guides for cutting wood, painting murals, and more.
Creating Templates: I designed the visual templates in Photoshop and exported them as PNG files with transparency for use in AR. Everyday Layers allowed me to project these images onto the wood, making it easy to follow the design accurately. I used thin red lines in the templates as guides because red is visually distinct and easy to see when projected onto physical objects.
Wall Art Style: I wanted to give the finished wall art piece depth, so I decided on multiple wood layers. Here's a breakdown of each layer:
Materials Used: I chose plywood for the base and a couple of layers because it's cheap. I also wanted the layers to have slight textural differences to make the piece more interesting. I went with MDF for the detailed pieces to allow for finer cuts and a smoother finish.
Building Process
Step 1: Setting Up the Workspace
Step 2: Initial Cuts
The first step was to cut three 24" diameter circles using the router and a circular jig. These circles would serve as the base, the outer ring, and the basketball layers.
Step 3: Affixing QR Codes
There are a few ways to align digital content with your physical world. For this project, we focused on one method: using QR codes. To ensure the AR template aligned perfectly, I taped a QR code to the wood base. This acts as a marker and tells the software to place the digital content ‘right here’. The software constantly checks for the location of this marker, so the template stays aligned as I move.
Step 4: Projecting the AR Template
I selected the project I wanted (the Timberwolves logo) in the Everyday Layers menu, then simply looked at the QR code. And there it showed up, perfectly aligned on the wood.
From there, you can toggle any combination of layers to view.
Step 5: Oops! My Bad, Didn’t See That Coming
I immediately ran into a problem, not because of the tech or design, but because I didn't foresee an issue. The circular jig covered most of the QR code, causing the AR headset to lose track of the template's alignment. The tracking worked well if even 20-30% of the QR code was covered. However, the jig blocked around 60-70% of the QR code. That was a problem. At first, I tried to power through by guessing the cuts, but they were off.
So, I remade the basketball layer, this time marking where each router cut should start and stop with a pencil using AR prior to attaching the jig. This ensured accurate cuts when reattaching the circular jig.
This was the most fun part of the project and really showcased why using AR templates is amazing. With the AVP glasses on, I could see the digital template perfectly overlaid on the wood. It felt like stepping into the future, with a high-tech blueprint guiding my every move. The AR template empowered me, making my cuts more precise while still requiring skill with the jigsaw. Cutting specific pieces, like the wolf and the wolf's fur, felt like magic. The AR template stayed put, making it easy to follow the lines accurately.
I realized that for the smaller pieces, there was a risk of them getting detached from the main board, and thus losing alignment with the template. To address this, I traced them with a pencil to ensure I'd still have a template even if they got detached. The whole process was incredibly satisfying and demonstrated the real potential of AR in woodworking.
Before priming and painting, I did a test fit to see how everything looked and to check the quality. I used AR to help me precisely line up each piece. The test fit confirmed that everything was aligned correctly and looked great.
See step title...pretty much sums it up ;)
Once the primer dried, I applied the Timberwolves’ colors to the corresponding pieces. This was pretty straightforward as each piece was a single solid color. The only challenge was to prevent drip marks.
I used AR to ensure each piece was precisely where it needed to be. Several of the digital layers I created earlier were groups of components by color. This made it easy to filter and view only the layers I needed for the glue-up, keeping distractions to a minimum. I then eyed the final piece against the design by sliding the transparency through the range from 0 to 100%.
I glued the layers together in a logical sequence, starting with the basketball to the base, then adding the wolf components, followed by the North Star, and finally the outer ring.
During the glue-up, I used whatever was available to apply weight to the drying pieces, including scrap wood blocks, old cans of paint I no longer know why we have, and clamps...because you know, that's what you do.
Overall Result
I was pleasantly surprised by just how good the piece turned out. The use of AR technology, specifically the AVP and custom Everyday AR software, made precise cuts a breeze. The process was not only effective but also a lot more fun than using traditional methods.
Learnings
What's Now and What's Next: Applications of AR Templates
AR templates can revolutionize various fields. In construction, they assist with installing fixtures, aligning structural elements, and visualizing finished designs. For home renovation and interior decorating, AR allows designers and homeowners to visualize changes and ensure their plans are implemented accurately. Artists can project their designs onto surfaces to ensure they paint the outlines and proportions correctly. AR empowers professionals by enhancing their skills and precision.
Looking ahead, the potential uses of AR templates are even more exciting. As AR glasses become more mainstream, they'll be a staple in home DIY projects, making tasks like assembling furniture with digital guides common. Detailed woodworking tasks will also become easier and more accessible. In healthcare, AR can provide doctors with hands-free access to critical information during surgeries, overlaying patient data directly onto the surgical field, revolutionizing how surgeries are performed and making them safer and more efficient. For navigation, AR will transform how we find our way both indoors and outdoors, helping users navigate large airports, hospitals, or shopping malls, making it easier to find specific locations or routes.
This project highlighted a new, modern approach to traditional tasks using AR technology. By using AR to create the Timberwolves wall art, I aimed to inspire others to see the practical applications of AR in everyday projects. AR is a powerful tool that enhances our ability to bring detailed and complex projects to life, turning creative ideas into tangible reality. Also, this project was pretty dope!
Thanks for checking out this project! If you have any cool ideas for an exploratory project in mind, or if you’re interested in doing business with Everyday AR, we’d love to hear from you. Let’s connect and see how we can bring your creative visions to life using AR.
In the years to come, AR glasses will have a profound effect on how we work, play, and get things done. Let’s not talk hypotheticals. Let’s craft the vision, roll up our sleeves, and build that reality!