THE CUTTING EDGE MASTER WOODWORKING

摘要

You may not think of yourself as a woodworker, but the founders of Shaper can change that. The San Francisco startup makes a handheld cutting device called the Origin that uses computer vision to help even the clumsiest craftsperson make cuts like a pro. Grab the device by the handles, place it on a piece of wood, and start tracing along the edges of the shape on Origin's touchscreen. (The drill bit will automatically correct for your wobbly, inexperienced hands.) "While it's really complex robotics under the hood, for users it's kind of magic," CEO Joe Hebenstreit says. "We want people to take the technology for granted." Cheaper than a traditional CNC machine and more mobile, Origin can cut pieces of any size. That ease of use was the goal for cofounder Alec Rivers, who struggled to work with wood after inheriting a tool set from his grandfather. So he turned to tech, enlisting designers and engineers from the former Google Glass team to help him build Origin. The device, which ships next year, might not impress hardcore carpenters, but at least you'll be able to reach toward their highhorses from your new homemade step stool.