Robby Kraft

robbykraft@gmail.com
http://robbykraft.com

I'm a software engineer, origami artist, and coding instructor previously in Texas, Portland Oregon, New York City, currently in Austria.

I make creative and accessible software tools. I work on Rabbit Ear a computational geometry / origami software library. My origami artwork has an audience of over 50,000 followers on Instagram; I've been invited to speak about my code and my art; I've worked on media art installations for Frieze and Venice Biennale; and my work at the School for Poetic Computation appeared in publications including Forbes, The Daily Beast, and Gizmodo.

Professional Experience

2023

Software Developer

, Karamba 3D

C#, Rhino/Grasshopper Development.

I developed a new mesher for the Karamba 3D tools, making heavy use of my algorithm design skills as well as computational geometry.

Aug. 2020-present

Researcher

, i.sd Structure and Design, University of Innsbruck

Origami researcher, C# programming, writing and publishing research papers.

I later joined the SFB Advanced Computational Design group as a C# Kinect installation developer.

2016-present

R&D

, Rabbit Ear

My origami modeling library, a large project that includes a math, graph, and svg library. Areas of focus: graph theory, computational geometry, and geometric folding algorithms. Node packages.

Jan. 2017-2020

Lecturer

, Parsons School of Design at The New School and ITP at New York University

2016-2020

Lecturer, TA, Steering Committee

, School for Poetic Computation, New York City

Non-degree track courses: Creative Coding Bootcamp (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020), Garden Mathematics, Yamaguchi Japan (2019), Code Paper Scissors (2019), Material Logic (2018), Recreating the Past (TA) (2017)

2016-present

Creative Technologist

, freelance

C++, OpenGL/GLSL, Augmented Reality, hardware/Arduino, Processing/OpenFrameworks

Open-source libraries created:

360° spherical panorama view, geodesic spheres, Oculus Rift for Mac, iOS motion joystick, stargazing orientation, OpenGL micro graphics engine, motion capture, motion on embedded systems, platonic solids

2018-2019

Software Developer

, Teknikio, New York City

2014-2018

iOS Software Development

, freelance

iOS, Swift, Objective-C, Javascript, Node

2016

iOS Developer

, Interval Studios, New York City

May 2013-June 2014

Mixed Reality & iOS Engineer

, Chroma Games, Portland, Oregon

2014

Simulator Tech, Software & Origami Engineer

, Pacific Space Flight

2013

Geodesic Consultant

, Effalo, Portland, Oregon

2009-2013

Viola, Violin, and Piano Instructor

, Portland, Oregon

Education

2015

School For Poetic Computation

, New York City, NY
2012

University of North Texas

, Denton, TX
B.A. in Philosophy

Software Competency

capable technologies

Arduino, C, C++, C#, CSS, GLSL, HLSL, HTML, Javascript, .NET, Objective-C, Python, Rust, Swift, Typescript, Unity.

Publications

2023

From Quad Filling to Wrinkled Surfaces,

Kraft, Maleczek, Mundilova, Tachi. Advances in Architectural Geometry. 2023

2021

Lotus: A Curved Folding Tool for Grasshopper,

Mundilova, Demaine, Foschi, Kraft, Maleczek, Tachi. Proceedings of ACADIA Conference. 2021

2020

How to Use Parametric Curved Folding Design Methods – A Case Study and Comparison,

Foschi, Kraft, Maleczek, Mundilova, Tachi. Proceedings of IASS Annual Symposia, no. 23. 2020.

2020

Folding Small Polyominoes into a Unit Cube,

Czajkowski, Demaine, Demaine, Eppling, Kraft, Mundilova, Smith. Canadian Conference on Computational Geometry. Saskatoon, Canada. August 5–7, 2020.

2018

Orthogonal Voronoi Molecules,

Kraft. Origami 7, volume 2. Edited by Robert J. Lang, Mark Bolitho, Zhong You. Tarquin Publishing. 2018. Tarquin store

Press

2016

BBC News "Paper + mathematics = awesome origami"

DesignWrld "Origami Sculptures by Robby Kraft"

Scene 360 "Origami and mathematics go hand and hand: the paper sculptures of Robby Kraft"

Fubiz "Amazing Paper Sculptures by Robby Kraft"

2015

The Creator's Project "Student-Robot Conferences at The School for Poetic Computation"

Daily Beast "This creepy face perfectly explains the uncanny valley"

The Daily Mail "The face that is everywhere: Creepy image combines thousands of photos of inanimate objects that look like people"

The Daily Dot "Average of #FacesInThings yields a very spooky image"

Forbes "Averaging Inanimate Objects Can Produce Human Faces"

Gizmodo "This Face Is the Average of Inanimate Objects That Look Like Faces"

Bad Astronomy "The Face in the Machine"

Engadget "Watch a human face emerge from a bunch of overlain, inanimate objects"

The Mary Sue "The Fittingly Creepy Face We See in Normal Objects Revealed by Computer Algorithm"

Instagram Feature "Data structures, crease patterns and computational poetry"

Killscreen "Honeysuckle lets you explore the feminine side of nostalgic Videogames"

2014

The Atlantic "The Constellations Won't Always Look This Way"

2011

Portland Art "Glitches, Ghosts, and Other Slippery Slopes"

Exhibitions, Installations

2016-2017

Origami Universe

, Chi Mei Museum, Taiwan

2016-2017

Geometries

, Visual Voice Gallery, Montreal Canada

2016

Facing Geometry

, Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy

2015

Target Wonderland

, Chelsea, New York City

2011

Laser Trip

, Gallery Homeland, Portland, Oregon

Residencies & Awards

Aug. 2019

Tanteidan Convention Special Guest

, Japan Origami Academic Society, Tokyo, Japan

Sept. 2016

Artist in Residence

, Juegos Rancheros, Austin, Texas

March 2015

Artist in Residence

, Museum of Human Achievement, Austin, Texas

Talks

Nov 9, 2019

Origami Software

, MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts

Sept 5, 2018

Orthogonal Voronoi Molecules

, 7OSME, Oxford, England

Jan 2018

Origami JS

, Brooklyn JS, Brooklyn, New York

Sept 2017

Origami Software from Scratch

, Strange Loop, St. Louis, Missouri

on YouTube

May 2015

Tour of Origami

, Nerd Nite, Austin, Texas

2013

Parametric Origami Furniture

, Research Club, Portland, Oregon