AGENTS
TOWARD PLAYFUL MACHINES AND CURIOUS AGENTS
HRI RESEARCH
BY MILOS ROGLIC
TOOLS
DATE
p5js, Computational Geometry
2024 - Ongoing
Building upon prior research on typeface skeletonization conducted at the MIT Media Lab¹, this work advances the technique by introducing refinements that enhance precision and stroke smoothness. Through systematic experimentation with geometric simplification and interpolation algorithms—including Douglas-Peucker, Chaikin, and Cardinal splines—this study contributes to more nuanced control over the transformation of typographic outlines into single-line representations.
SkeleText is presented as an open-source tool tailored for applications where monolinear typefaces are advantageous, such as in digital fabrication processes including laser cutting, CNC milling, and embroidery. By abstracting the typographic form into a skeletal geometry, the tool facilitates the creation of visually coherent and fabrication-optimized representations of text.
The central focus of this investigation lies in the application of skeletonized type for robotic drawing systems. Specifically, it examines how optimized stroke paths can enhance the fluidity, speed, and expressiveness of robotic handwriting—balancing aesthetic fidelity with computational and mechanical efficiency.
References
[1] MIT Media Lab, “SkeleType,” MIT Media Lab, https://www.media.mit.edu/projects/skeletype/overview/ (accessed Apr. 5, 2025).