18 KiB
18 KiB
Cybersyn Chair Recreation Project
A modern recreation of the iconic Cybersyn Operations Room chairs from Chile's Project Cybersyn (1971-1973), with integrated Raspberry Pi electronics for smart home/office control.
Project Goals
- Faithful Recreation: Reproduce the aesthetic of Gui Bonsiepe's original fiberglass swivel chairs
- Modern Electronics: Integrate Raspberry Pi with customizable armrest controls
- Modular Design: Create swappable armrest modules for different use cases
- Open Source: Publish all CAD files, electronics schematics, and software
Historical Background
The Original Cybersyn Project (1971-1973)
Project Cybersyn was Chile's pioneering experiment in real-time economic management under President Salvador Allende. The Operations Room (Opsroom) was the nerve center - a hexagonal 72m² space containing 7 fiberglass swivel chairs arranged in a circle.
Design Team:
- Gui Bonsiepe (Lead Designer, German industrial designer)
- Fernando Shultz
- Rodrigo Walker
- Pepa Foncea
- Industrial Design Area of INTEC (Chilean State Technology Institute)
Original Chair Specifications
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Material | Fiberglass shell with orange upholstery |
| Style | Tulip/pedestal base (similar to Saarinen, but custom) |
| Seating | 7 chairs in inward-facing circle |
| Swivel | Full 360° rotation (considered optimal for creativity) |
| Armrests | Integrated control panels, ashtrays, drink holders |
Armrest Control Layout
The original buttons were deliberately large ("big hand" design) for users without keyboard experience:
┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│ ORIGINAL BUTTON LAYOUT │
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ TOP ROW (3 square buttons): │
│ [■] [■] [■] │
│ │ │ │ │
│ └───┴───┴── Select data screens │
│ │
│ MIDDLE ROW (5 buttons): │
│ [○] [○] [○] [○] [○] │
│ │ │
│ └── Navigate subdirectories │
│ (hypertext-like navigation) │
│ │
│ BOTTOM ROW (1 large rectangular): │
│ [████████████████████] │
│ │ │
│ └── Index/Home screen │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────┘
The buttons connected via wires through the floor to slide carousels that displayed pre-made data visualization slides.
Design Philosophy
- No tables: Intentionally omitted to prevent paper shuffling and encourage democratic discussion
- Odd number (7): Ensures tie-breaking votes
- Swivel chairs: Maximizes creative interaction
- No keyboards: Large buttons for accessibility
- No Star Trek influence: Despite visual similarities, designers claimed no sci-fi inspiration
Existing Resources & References
Reconstructions
| Location | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| FabLab Santiago, Chile | 2016 | Recreation supervised by original designers |
| Disseny Hub Barcelona, Spain | 2023 | First functional reconstruction, 72m² hexagonal room |
Primary Sources
- Eden Medina, Cybernetic Revolutionaries (MIT Press, 2011) - Definitive historical account with design details
- Stafford Beer Collection - Liverpool John Moores University archives
- INTEC Publication: "Diseño de una sala de operaciones," INTEC, no. 4 (1973), pp. 19–28
- Gui Bonsiepe Archive - Original sketches
Available 3D Models (Starting Points)
| Model | Source | Format | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tulip Chair | GrabCAD | Various | Saarinen-style, needs armrest mods |
| Saarinen Tulip | Sketchfab | Free | Good base geometry |
| Knoll Tulip | FaceQuad | OBJ, FBX | Armchair variant |
| Eames Shell | Herman Miller | Revit, SketchUp, AutoCAD | Fiberglass shell reference |
Reference Images
- Google Arts & Culture - FabLab Recreation
- Artsy - Original Opsroom Photos
- 99% Invisible Episode - Includes photos and context
Manufacturing Approaches
Option 1: Fiberglass Hand Lay-Up (Recommended for Authenticity)
Estimated Cost: $800-2,000/chair + mold Tooling Cost: $1,000-5,000 for plug and mold
Process:
- Create positive plug from CNC-milled foam or MDF
- Apply release agent and gel coat
- Lay fiberglass mat + polyester/epoxy resin
- Cure under controlled conditions
- Demold and finish
Resources:
Option 2: Rotational Molding (Best for Small Batches)
Estimated Cost: $50-150/chair at 50+ units Tooling Cost: $3,000-10,000 for aluminum mold
Advantages:
- Tooling costs 1/5th of injection molding
- Creates seamless hollow shells (perfect for hiding electronics)
- Ideal for 50-500 unit production runs
Resources:
Option 3: Hybrid Approach
| Component | Method | Material |
|---|---|---|
| Shell/seat | Fiberglass hand lay-up OR rotomolding | Fiberglass or LLDPE |
| Armrests | 3D printed master → silicone mold → cast | Polyurethane resin |
| Base/pedestal | CNC machined or cast | Aluminum or steel |
| Electronics bay | 3D printed inserts | PETG/ABS |
Electronics Integration
Architecture Overview
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ ARMREST MODULE │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ BUTTON PANEL (Top Surface) │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ [DATA 1] [DATA 2] [DATA 3] ← Screen selection │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ [NAV 1] [NAV 2] [NAV 3] [NAV 4] [NAV 5] │ │
│ │ ↑ │ │
│ │ Navigation/subdirectory buttons │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ [═══════════ INDEX/HOME ═══════════] │ │
│ │ ↑ │ │
│ │ Large "big hand" button │ │
│ │ │ │
│ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │ │
│ ┌────────────────────────┴──────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ ELECTRONICS CAVITY │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ ┌─────────────┐ ┌────────────────────────────┐ │ │
│ │ │ Raspberry │ │ GPIO Breakout Board │ │ │
│ │ │ Pi Zero 2 W │────│ + Button Matrix Driver │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ + Status LEDs │ │ │
│ │ └──────┬──────┘ └─────────────┬──────────────┘ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ ┌──────┴─────────────────────────┴──────────────┐ │ │
│ │ │ USB-C Power + Data (through pedestal) │ │ │
│ │ └───────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ MODULAR EXPANSION BAYS (snap-in): │ │
│ │ ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐ ┌─────────┐ │ │
│ │ │ NFC │ │ OLED │ │ Haptic │ │ USB │ │ │
│ │ │ Reader │ │ Display │ │ Motors │ │ Ports │ │ │
│ │ └─────────┘ └─────────┘ └─────────┘ └─────────┘ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Recommended Hardware
| Component | Model | Dimensions | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main Board | Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W | 65 × 30 mm | ~$15 | WiFi/BT, sufficient GPIO |
| Alternative | Raspberry Pi Pico W | 51 × 21 mm | ~$6 | Even smaller, pure button I/O |
| Buttons | Cherry MX mechanical | 15.6 × 15.6 mm | ~$1 ea | Satisfying tactile feel |
| Alt Buttons | Silicone dome pads | Custom | ~$20/set | Authentic "big hand" style |
| Display | 1.3" SH1106 OLED | 35 × 33 mm | ~$8 | Optional status display |
| NFC | RC522 RFID module | 40 × 60 mm | ~$5 | User identification |
| Haptic | DRV2605L + LRA motor | 10 × 10 mm | ~$8 | Button feedback |
Software Stack
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ SOFTWARE LAYERS │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ APPLICATION LAYER │
│ ├── Home Assistant integration (MQTT) │
│ ├── Custom Cybersyn dashboard (web UI) │
│ └── Multi-chair coordination (WebSocket) │
│ │
│ MIDDLEWARE │
│ ├── Python asyncio event loop │
│ ├── Button debouncing & state machine │
│ └── Module hot-plug detection │
│ │
│ HARDWARE ABSTRACTION │
│ ├── gpiozero (button/LED control) │
│ ├── smbus2 (I2C modules) │
│ └── spidev (SPI displays) │
│ │
│ OS: Raspberry Pi OS Lite (headless) │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Communication Protocol
MQTT Topics:
cybersyn/chair/{chair_id}/button/{button_name} → pressed/released
cybersyn/chair/{chair_id}/module/{module_type} → module data
cybersyn/chair/{chair_id}/status → online/offline
cybersyn/display/{screen_id}/show → screen control
Project Phases
Phase 1: Research & Design (Current)
- Historical research on original design
- Identify existing CAD resources
- Document manufacturing options
- Obtain high-resolution reference photos
- Contact FabLab Santiago / Disseny Hub Barcelona for specs
- Create initial CAD model
Phase 2: Prototype Electronics
- Build button matrix on breadboard
- Write Pi Zero control software
- Test MQTT integration with Home Assistant
- Design modular bay connector system
- 3D print armrest electronics enclosure
Phase 3: Physical Prototype
- Modify existing tulip chair CAD for armrest cavity
- 3D print 1:4 scale model for review
- Create foam/MDF plug for fiberglass testing
- Make test fiberglass section
- Integrate electronics into armrest
Phase 4: Production
- Finalize CAD for manufacturing
- Create production mold (fiberglass or rotomold)
- Produce first complete chair
- Document build process
- Publish open-source files
Phase 5: Multi-Chair System
- Build 7-chair Opsroom configuration
- Create central display system
- Implement cross-chair coordination
- Add data visualization dashboard
Directory Structure
cybersyn-chair/
├── README.md # This file
├── docs/
│ ├── history.md # Detailed historical background
│ ├── references.md # Links to sources and archives
│ └── manufacturing.md # Detailed manufacturing guides
├── cad/
│ ├── chair-shell/ # Main chair body CAD files
│ ├── armrest/ # Armrest with electronics cavity
│ ├── pedestal-base/ # Swivel base design
│ └── modules/ # Snap-in module designs
├── electronics/
│ ├── schematics/ # KiCad circuit designs
│ ├── pcb/ # Custom PCB layouts
│ └── bom/ # Bill of materials
├── software/
│ ├── firmware/ # Pi Zero control code
│ ├── server/ # Central coordination server
│ └── dashboard/ # Web-based control panel
├── manufacturing/
│ ├── mold-designs/ # Fiberglass mold CAD
│ └── assembly-guides/ # Step-by-step build docs
└── media/
├── reference-photos/ # Historical images
└── renders/ # 3D renders of design
Cost Estimates
Single Chair (DIY/Maker)
| Item | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|
| Fiberglass materials + mold (amortized over 7) | $200-400 |
| Metal pedestal base (fabricated) | $200-400 |
| Upholstery (orange fabric + foam) | $100-200 |
| Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W | $15 |
| Electronics (buttons, wiring, modules) | $50-100 |
| 3D printed components | $20-50 |
| Total per chair | $585-1,165 |
7-Chair Opsroom Setup
| Item | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|
| 7 chairs (at $800 avg) | $5,600 |
| Central server (Pi 4 + display) | $150 |
| Network infrastructure | $100 |
| Display screens (7× monitors) | $1,400 |
| Room setup (hexagonal layout, wiring) | $500 |
| Total Opsroom | $7,750 |
Contributing
This is an open-source project. Contributions welcome:
- CAD Design: Help model the chair shell, armrest, and base
- Electronics: Design PCBs, write firmware
- Manufacturing: Share fabrication experience
- Historical Research: Locate original specifications and drawings
- Documentation: Improve guides and tutorials
License
- Hardware designs: CERN Open Hardware License v2
- Software: MIT License
- Documentation: CC BY-SA 4.0
Acknowledgments
- Gui Bonsiepe and the original INTEC design team
- Stafford Beer for the Cybersyn vision
- Eden Medina for preserving this history in Cybernetic Revolutionaries
- FabLab Santiago for the 2016 recreation
- Disseny Hub Barcelona for the functional reconstruction
Contact
For questions, collaboration, or access to original specifications:
- Open an issue on this repository
- Email: [your-email]
- Disseny Hub Barcelona: Documentation Center