The paper that stood out to me for this assignment was “Designing a Sustainable Material for 3D Printing with Spent Coffee Grounds“. Co-authored by Scott Hudson, this paper explores creating a sustainable, biodegradable 3D printing material from spent coffee grounds (SCG) combined with non-toxic, home-friendly binders like carboxymethyl cellulose and xanthan gum. The researchers emphasize a low-energy, zero-waste approach, avoiding thermoplastics and instead utilizing SCG’s natural biodegradability, recyclability, and compostability. By prototyping items such as espresso cups and planter pots, the work demonstrates practical applications and underscores opportunities in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) for eco-friendly materials in personal fabrication.
Relating this to Hudson’s colloquium talk on Wednesday, “The Future is not What it Used to be,” both the talk and paper underline a transformative shift in technical HCI, where material innovations align with sustainable practices. Hudson’s talk stressed that advancements in computing power and HCI should inspire new methodologies and visions, urging the community to utilize emerging technologies in eco-conscious ways. What I particularly got out of this was that advancements in computing power and HCI also close technical gaps such as how to use a particular tool. And if that’s covered, then that opens up a lot more room for exploring what materials tools get to work with, such as innovative, biodegradable materials. All in all, this paper exemplifies Hudson’s message by reimagining fabrication materials, integrating sustainability principles with scalable, accessible design methods suitable for everyday users.