Got an Idea for a 3D Printable Small Robot to Assist in Bomb Disposal? Another @Innocentive Challege!

File:LA County Sheriff Bomb Robot 2.JPG

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department display at Public Safety Day in Lakewood, California. Photo by Eric Polk (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:LA_County_Sheriff_Bomb_Robot_2.JPG)

You may remember we have written a past article about Innocentive, well there’s another new great challenge.  You can earn $50,000 for designing a cheap 3D printed robot to help bomb squads. Continue reading

We Have Liftoff! @MadeInSpace 3D Printer Roars into Orbit!

The 3D printer has launched and reached the International Space Station (ISS) today with an early morning docking.  I woke up and watched the launch live on NASA TV, pretty amazing. Continue reading

What Would You Print? Enter and Win!

Our friends at Product Design & Development are looking to challenge your most creative design and engineering abilities and give away an Afinia H480 3D printer!  Here’s the challenge:

We want you to design or redesign an existing product or technology – a usable widget, utensil, tool, enclosure, or anything else you can think up – that would make life easier and more beneficial for the user.

Three finalists will have their design printed and and two runners-up will receive a Premier Farnell RIoTBoard from element14.  Of course the winner gets an Afinia H480 3D Printer and some great PR too.  Create your file and head over to the site to enter now!

 

On September 19, 2014 3D Printing and Space Collide!

SpaceX Dragon commercial cargo craft is grappled by Canadarm2 at the ISS

SpaceX Dragon commercial cargo craft is grappled by Canadarm2 at the ISS (Credit: NASA)

Mark your calendar and watch the NASA channel online, through your TV provider or perhaps prepare to make a road trip because a 3D printer is going to space on September 19, 2014!  You can keep track of the launch schedule here and updates from our buddies at Made In Space.  You can read more about the mission as a whole and the other cargo at its Wikipedia page Continue reading

President Obama Gave 3D Printers Much Love in June

President Barack Obama is shown a 3-D printer by Andy Leer, right, during a tour of TechShop Pittsburgh, a community-based workshop and prototyping studio in Pittsburgh, Pa., June 17, 2014. Watching at left is General Manger Matt Verlinich. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

President Barack Obama is shown a 3-D printer by Andy Leer, right, during a tour of TechShop Pittsburgh, a community-based workshop and prototyping studio in Pittsburgh, Pa., June 17, 2014. Watching at left is General Manger Matt Verlinich. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

It’s usually never a bad thing to have the President associated with your industry and June was a big 3D printing month for President Obama.  Not only did he get a 3D printer demo at TechShop Pittsburgh (providing a great photo op), but he became the first sitting President 3D scanned and printed for the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. Continue reading

Is 3D scanning a privacy concern?

Is new technology threatening privacy in new ways? (Image courtesy of adamr / FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

Is new scanning technology threatening your privacy in new ways? (Image courtesy of adamr / FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

Maybe you’ve heard about some of the privacy worries and fist fights or people getting kicked out of businesses over Google Glass and fears of being filmed.  It seems to be the thing replacing 3D printing of guns in mainstream media in terms of new technology concerns.  I’ve also heard of door mats that will weigh everyone who comes to visit you.  Are these things invasion of privacy or just the natural evolution of cellphone video cameras and cameras at every street intersection? Continue reading