Studentships

Farhan Monower

B.Eng Student

University of Waterloo

Farhan Monower is an undergraduate student at the University of Waterloo, studying Mechatronics Engineering. He is set to graduate in the summer of 2021, and has completed multiple internships at companies such as Ford, DA-Integrated and Ritual Technologies Inc. He joined Philip Beesley/Living Architecture System Group as a Mechatronics Engineering intern, where he worked on electrical, controls systems and software design. He contributed to the design and development of the new-generation software system that runs on sculptures, with a focus on intrasculptural communication. He has also worked on the engineering team during installations of the Futurium Noosphere and Meander. Although his internship has ended, Farhan continues to work with the LASG as an Engineering Consultant. Currently he is working on the “Smart Actuation Interface”, part of the next generation of sculpture electronics.

Smart Actuation Interface Project:

Farhan is currently working on the “Smart Actuation Interface” (SAI), a device that is part of the new series of electronics for the Living Architecture Systems Group. The SAI is a device capable of actuating patterns on a single actuator in response to different types of input signals. This leads to a greater degree of individual control over elements in a sculpture setting. Its modular design means that it can perfectly integrate into existing centralized sculptural systems to act as a functional extension. The same design also permits a high degree of decentralization, opening up new potentials in sculptural and non-sculptural settings. This decentralized approach is further aided by its inherently extensible layout, allowing for chains of SAIs capable of interacting with each other to create intricate displays of actuation. These features are all being implemented with a greater focus on low level controls systems design and programming, allowing for highly specialized solutions.