enchanted scissors: a scissor interface for support in cutting and interactive fabrication

We present an approach to support basic and complex cutting processes through an interactive fabrication experience [Willis et al. 2011]. Our system, enchanted scissors, is a digitally controlled pair of scissors (Figure 1). It restricts areas that can be cut while requiring the user's exertion of force and decision to execute each cut. Therefore, unlike a completely digitalized cutting device, the user can freely apply improvisations within the permitted areas in real-time. A pair of scissors is a common tool seen and used in everyday life; the user can instantly recognize its operation method. It has varieties of usage from opening a letter to creating a complicated paper craft. While using scissors, it is common to cut unintended parts or difficult to control the blades for cutting intricate details. enchanted scissors prevents these errors in advance by using two switchable programs to restrict the areas that can be cut. Both programs provide real-time feedback to the user during the cutting process as regular scissors would. This allows a comfortable connection of the user's physical input and the output implemented by the device.