Make It Stand - balancing 3d models

Software that makes your models stand. It adjusts shape - pose - weight balance without the need for heavy bases or magnets. There is no download of the software I can find, hopefully it will show up somewhere. The paper explaining science and calculations behind it is available so maybe it can be interdependently programmed.

Research abstract:

Imbalance suggests a feeling of dynamism and movement in static objects. It is therefore not surprising that many 3D models stand in impossibly balanced configurations. As long as the models remain in a computer this is of no consequence: the laws of physics do not apply. However, fabrication through 3D printing breaks the illusion: printed models topple instead of standing as initially intended. We propose to assist users in producing novel, properly balanced designs by interactively deforming an existing model. We formulate balance optimization as an energy minimization, improving stability by modifying the volume of the object, while preserving its surface details. This takes place during interactive editing: the user cooperates with our optimizer towards the end result. We demonstrate our method on a variety of models. With our technique, users can produce fabricated objects that stand in one or more surprising poses without requiring glue or heavy pedestals.

http://igl.ethz.ch/projects/make-it-stand/

http://igl.ethz.ch/projects/make-it-stand/make-it-stand-siggraph-2013-prevost-et-al.pdf