The Artifact Scanner is a handheld tool designed to unlock new possibilities, reframe contexts, and inspire futures thinking. Whether you're in a design fiction workshop or exploring speculative design on your own, this tool challenges you to think beyond the present.
All files in this repository are free for you to copy and remix.
license.txt These files are offered as Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Artifact-Scanner-Laser Cut File.pdf Use this file with a laser cutter. Etch and cut guides are colour coded and in order of operation.
Artifact-Scanner-DataMerge-Template.indd This Adobe InDesign file is a template linked to the corresponding CSV data file. It is setup as a Data Merge project.
Artifact-Scanner-Prompts.csv These are 54 prompts used during the Detroit Images Harder Summit Oct 15-18 2024. Edit or add your own prompts to be connected to the corresponding InDesign file.
scrambleX.svg These are 'red reveal' templates you can use for the decoder portion of the scanner. These are linked to the InDesign document via the prompts CSV file.
For use with 3mm cast acrylic panel on a CO2 laser cutter.
- Once acrylic pieces are cut, remove the protective film on the backside of the large piece, one side of the window center piece, and both sides of the tab brackets.
- Cut a piece of transparent red tape to cover the DECODER window, adhered to the back part of the large piece.
- Insert tabbed brackets into the bracket holes on the back side of the large center piece.
- With a needle tip applicator, apply a acrylic welding solvent such as methylene chloride, toluene, tetrahydrofuran, cellusolve and methyl ethyl ketone.
- Hold brackets in place for a few secs while bonding.
- Place the winder center piece onto the tab brackets, peeled side down
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- With a needle tip applicator, apply a acrylic welding solvent such as methylene chloride, toluene, tetrahydrofuran, cellusolve and methyl ethyl ketone.
- Congratulations, your Artifact Scanner is assembled. Remove remaining protective film before use.
- Rewrite prompts in CSV file to taste.
- Open InDesign Document and go to Data Merge panel and Create Merge Document
- Edit Merged Document to taste.
- Print on a colour printer.
- Cut out each prompt to fit withing the scanner's decoder slit.
- Enjoy scanning artifacts and exploring possible futures.
Artifact Scanner Beta designed by Dré Labre of DesignFictionDaily.com in association with Near Future Laboratory and the Detroit Images Harder Summit 2024.