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Are 3D Printers Really a Disruptive Technology?

20 Oct, 2011 by Josh Mings in FAB
3D Human CAD Models

Are 3D Printers a disruptive technology? Are you kidding me? Look at the image above. That person, or that person’s arm, is obviously being sucked into the filament carriage to be used in the construction of extruded parts. Totally disruptive. On the flip side, that’s one more substance we can add to the growing list of materials used to print concept designs and/or new ears. Gartner analyst Jackie Fenn, whom you may know from the hype surrounding Gartner’s Hype Cycle, believes 3D printing is indeed one of the emerging trends that affects you, your business and life. But what is it actually disrupting?

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Nitrogen Power! The MagSurf Superconducting
Hoverboard.

20 Oct, 2011 by Josh Mings in ROCKIN', TECH

I tell you what. There’s nothing like the thought of riding atop a container of -195˚ Celsius liquid nitrogen, while its vapor spews from a small tube positioned between your legs. Nope, no problem with that. Why? Because it’s the future and it goes along quite nicely with ice pants. It’s called the MagSurf and it’s what director of Physics, Alain Sacuto, and superconducting lovin’ students have been constructing at the University Paris Diderot. While the quantum mechanical phenomenon is nothing new, this is the first it has been used on a small student population to test the possibility of human transport across a 5 meter span. How’s it all done? Well, remove the dry ice from your eyes and check out the video below.

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Details Released About Lytro Light Field Camera
(Update:Engadget got hands-on)

19 Oct, 2011 by Jeffrey Matthias in NEWS, TECH

Remember Lytro? They’re the company that promised to give us a camera that takes refocus-able pictures for an affordable price. Of course, “affordable” is relative and the original press release wasn’t giving up the goods. Well, today emails went out to those who signed up for Lytro’s mailing list allowing priority for pre-orders. The camera’s range from $399 to $499 depending on the storage you want. The 8GB($399) models come in graphite or electric blue and stores 350 photos. The 16GB($499) camera, which more than doubles the photos to 750, comes in red hot. What’s the resolution of these bad boys? 11 Megarays. Yeah, I have no idea how that compares, either. For some other notable details of the camera some thoughts about the design and function, hit the jump.

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Scintillating CNC Zonahedral Structures: The Zome
from Robert Bell

18 Oct, 2011 by Josh Mings in DESIGN, FAB

I once CNC’d a foam shelter for a family of marsupials, except they ended up eating it, then attacking the neighbor family. It could have been worse, but I certainly wish I had come across Zomadic’s zensational (HA!) Zome structures before then – perhaps the wee creatures would have been happier. The Zome is a creation of Rob Bell (he’s got the ill communications!) and is one of the most ingenious structures of modern geometric times. The complex, fluid shapes are designed in SketchUp, cut out flat and put together with nothing but time, sweat, sandwich breaks and large mallets. Here’s a little more on how it all… comes… together.

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Can SolidWorks 2012 Spit the Quadro 2000 GPU Juice?

18 Oct, 2011 by Josh Mings in CAD

I’ll tell you want, consuming large amounts of GPU juice in the morning can lead to mild twitches and people wondering why you’re sucking the back-end of a graphics card in the first place. However, after you’ve got your taste for tech out your system and slipped that card into your computer, barring electrocution from the spittle, you’ll be well on your way to using that hardware to aid in your quest to vanquish the 3D model landscape… as in the case with a new SolidWorks 2012 installation. You may have upgraded, but will your Quadro video card work? The answer is a resounding YES, but here are a few other things you’ll want to know about SolidWorks, GPU performance, multi-threading and more.

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Upload Your Photos, Print a 3D Model with hypr3D

17 Oct, 2011 by Josh Mings in FAB, NEWS

It just makes sense. Take some photos of a thing, upload them, 3D print that sucka. My choice? Photos of my fist hitting my face, repeatedly. Unfortunately, motion capture and ruptured blood vessels can not be properly translated into seamless point cloud data as of yet. Nonetheless, hypr3D is putting 3D prints where your 2D prints should be and bringing you the possibility to do it all online, right now. Yeah, and we’re not talking pulling pixels off single photos either. This is 3D geometry generated from your photos or video, for free. Check it out.

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Mach 2 Baby! All New F-16 SolidWorks Surfacing
Tutorial.

17 Oct, 2011 by Josh Mings in CAD

Have you ever modeled an aircraft? How about an F-16? Besides being able to suck all manner of things through its massive intake, it’s one of the coolest looking Jet fighters ever designed. Myself? I’ve not modeled one, but have imagined being able to absorb them into my body, whereby using them to fend off anything that would threaten my existence. Until that time, I may just take on the challenge of modeling one up with this new SolidWorks F-16 Tutorial from Dan Lavoie.

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Digital Reality Plans To Shake Up the 3D Printing
Scene… Again.

14 Oct, 2011 by Josh Mings in FAB, NEWS

It’s been just over four years since Digital Reality, Inc. made a rumbling about, what was at that time, the first web-based 3D customization to appear. Of course since then, countless online customization sites for every sort or 3D digital design has been established. Now, Digital Reality is back, with a new plan and a new name for their new online customization portal, KraftWurx. They are currently signing up service bureaus with plans to bring on designers in two to three weeks. However, there is something strange and a backstory to all of this that is sure to add a little drama to the 3D printing scene.

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Friday Smackdown: 8ight 7even 5ive

14 Oct, 2011 by Josh Mings in SMACKDOWN

The bins, shallowed in the soil by the old man’s smelting oven, oozed orange mistuals. They gave off an oder that seemed, at first, quite sublime, then turned violently foul when mixed with the warm goo of these links.

Zamak – Mixing surreal and awesome, Olivier Bucheron takes CG visuals to characters and machines that feel like they could start crawling out of your screen.
WaSP InterAct – A full, open web curriculum to help training the budding young web professional. Course outlines, exams… the whole bit.
Eva – The absolutely enthralling, opening title sequence for the retrofuturistic, sci-fi thriller, EVA. Create by dvein.com of Barcelona.
Pearltrees – If you’re familiar with the Pearltrees website, you’re going to love the new iPad app. Collect, curate and share what you like on the web.
The Thing Backstory – If you were traumatized for life by John Carpenter’s The Thing, you’ll appreciate the backstory and CG prop talk from director of the remake.
50 Tool to rebuild Haiti – Haiti ws a disaster. How did they rebuild? Or rather, what would you need in order to be prepared to survive a robot zombie apocalyptic event?
50 people scared half to death – Nothing like seeing fear caught on the faces of so many people. These are the reactions you might have yourself when visiting the Nightmare Fear Factory.
Mountain Biker vs Antelope – And to continue down the path of disturbing footage, a Mountain Biker tearing full speed down a path gets taken out by an Antelope that doesn’t appreciate it at all.