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Archive for December, 2009

I Will 3D Scan You with Structured Light… and You Will Like It

30 Dec, 2009 by Josh Mings in TECH
3D Human CAD Models

Prepare your light sensitive skins with ointments and lotions. You WILL be scanned with LIGHT.

Don’t worry, it’s more a threat more than a warning. I’ll do it… and so will Kyle McDonald. But not only will he scan you, he’ll show you how to scan everybody and everything you want with pure, radiant light. He’s been developing nifty ways to visualize and capture life through music and code. This week he posted an Instructable on his latest experiments with a digital camera, projector and some sweet three-phase trigonometric chicanery.

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The Winner of the SpacePilot Pro 3D Spinnin’ Mouse Is…

30 Dec, 2009 by Josh Mings in CONTESTS

Well, well, well, well, well, well, well… ahem… it’s no big surprise that when I asked if I should upgrade to Windows 7 and SolidWorks 2010 or just start vomiting, that 61% of you said to UPGRADE, while 14% said to just start vomiting.

We all know there are reasons to upgrade. We’ll touch on that in the future, in case you’re trying to prove the benefits to someone. Now, to the business at hand. There’s one person that will walk away the glorious 3D maneuvering capabilities of the brand new SpacePilot Pro from 3DConnexion.

The winner of that is…
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The Five Best 3D CAD-Related Tech Innovations of the Last Decade.

29 Dec, 2009 by Josh Mings in TECH

2010. It’s here… or almost here. Which means it’s time to reflect on all the fun innovations that we ran screaming towards, or away from, over the past decade.

Over the past ten years I went from storing data on a CD to storing data online. I also went from emailing someone a couple times a week to sending tens, thousands, billions of messages per day. All the tech to keep me distracted from breathing normally or having a properly developed physique is a mix of good and bad, but mostly good.

As far as the CAD-related tech is concerned, there’s only five I could think of, which means there are likely twenty others which are way better. Here’s what spilled out after a small glass tube resembling my head was shaken vigorously and smashed against a neck of a CAD administrator.

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Natal ‘Geometry Wars’ UI Shows How Your 3D CAD Hands Will Dance

28 Dec, 2009 by Josh Mings in TECH

If this update of tech to be birthed from the womb of Microsoft Project Natal is meant to fool us into believing it’s real, we’re totally going to fall for it and cuddle it in our arms.

It’s highly possible that this video shows a product developer looking a bit silly flicking his booger fingers at a screen, but also shows how the idea of tech like this has affected the future you and your future 3D CAD hands. Take a look.

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For When You Need a Hardcore 3D Nuclear Reactor Cut-away Fix

28 Dec, 2009 by Josh Mings in ROCKIN'

The only feeling better than jabbing a syringe full of highly volatile nuclear material into my chest, is jabbing a syringe full of nuclear reactor cut-aways of the 3D variant into my eyeholes.

Prepare for a chain reaction of mildly tingling proportions that may send your 3D appeal into a mile-wide meltdown. For those that grew up in the old days, cut-away and other tech illustrations hold a special spot in the heart right next to that spot that loves to store old engineering scales, vellum and the yawns of cranky old drafters.

These reactors are on my new fav list of cut-aways to collect and I think you’ll like’em too.

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Friday Smackdown: Rockzerappa

25 Dec, 2009 by Josh Mings in SMACKDOWN

I find it unconscionable! Who mixes firecrackers with gravy this time of day! You have to work your way into it. First, pine chips, then cooked veggies, then these links.

Patrick Eischen – Ya like aircraft? He makes a mean aircraft? Ya like fat faces? He makes a mean fat face.
Inaction is BAD – It’s so bad I’m going to do nothing about it.
Canon 1D Mark IV night shot – Video… with THE camera. a CAMERA… it’s only $5000 too. Nice round number for a looooan.
Christmas Laser Beam Cats – Really? The weirdos that brought you the engineers guide to cats… at it again.
Pandorapedia – The beginning of the craze begins. All you’ll want to know of Avatar’s Pandora.
Pastrana Rally Jump – Travis practice jump prep for the New Year’s jump at Long Beach’s Rainbow Harbor.
Insane Storage – So insane, you could store it on it’s own insanity.
20 Things that happen in 1 minute – the 21st? you waste 1 minute reading about 20 other things that happen in a minute.

The New Terror of Bike Paths Around the World. Wheel Skates.

24 Dec, 2009 by Josh Mings in DESIGN

For those of us not born with carbon composite cruising wheels for legs, doomed to walk the dry earth and swampy grassland, someone has finally had pity on us.

Michael Jenkins from Adelaide, Australia has spent the past three years developing the best possible solution to mount large wheels to your legs while not looking completely ridiculous… ok, mildly ridiculous. They’re called Chariot Skates and 4 months ago Michael tested his first production model. Check it out.

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Wait to Vomit 3D CAD or Move to Windows 7 and SolidWorks 2010? Win a SpacePilot PRO

23 Dec, 2009 by Josh Mings in TECH

If you get the fever and shakes just thinking about moving to new technology, I’m with you. (I’m totally not with you) I’d much prefer to just stick my finger in my throat and vomit magnificent cad data all over a glass office table.

Can you imagine?… you SO know that would be awesome. People would sit… and wait… to watch you wretch. But until they come up with the technology that allows vomiting CAD to happen, we’re stuck with upgrading hardware and software till we’re numb in the face.

So, right now, I’m chugin’ Ovaltine and bangin’ away on Windows 98 and SolidWorks 97 plus. STOP LAUGHING! it hurts… (I’m totally not using those, but…) I need you to make fun of me and tell me why I need to put my fear of change muscular IT people with laser guns, behind me and upgrade to the latest tech.

You know what you could get? Well, besides, virtual high fives for your wit from everyone, you’ll have the chance to win a SpacePilot Pro. It’s a fancy 3D mouse thingy that’s part of the scary, new present of technology. All ya gotta do to enter is leave a comment making fun of me and giving us all good reasons to upgrade to Windows 7 and SolidWorks 2010… or not. If you want a few extra chances then do the following…

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Grabba Your Cadda! Outsource Design Ideas in One Minute with GrabCAD

22 Dec, 2009 by Josh Mings in RESOURCES

Amongst the various things you like to grab on a daily basis, CAD geometry may very well be the lowest on your list. Not to worry, there’s a team that is totally into grabbing CAD for you and they’re here to handle all the ideas you can throw at them.

They just so happen to be called, GrabCAD. We’ll pretend not to giggle and choke when we hear you say it five-times fast. What GrabCAD offers is simple. Fast, flat-rate outsourcing from the convenience of your browser. You don’t even have to look a person in the eye. Here’s how it works.

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Mass Innovation Nights. Vuuch on the Prowl to Present

22 Dec, 2009 by Josh Mings in TECH

Alright, I have a big ol’ plug for my friends at Vuuch. They have a chance to get into the technological fray at the Mass Innovations nights coming up on January 13th. You can tip them over the edge and allow them to present their collaboration-kickin’ ideas at this poll. Last I checked they were within a few votes of being able to present.

Mass Innovation nights is a bit like TED or the Techcrunch50 event, except smaller and once a month. It allows people involved in developing new products ideas to get exposure from people who like to talk about new product ideas.

So, shove that work off your desk and go have a look at the companies presenting, you may recognize some, and throw in a vote for Vuuch.