14 February 2011

The Printed World ~ From Laserjet to 3D Fab Bots

The Economist spotlights The Printed World in cover story this week...
"...many other people are using three-dimensional printing technology to create similarly remarkable things. These include medical implants, jewellery, football boots designed for individual feet, lampshades, racing-car parts, solid-state batteries and customised mobile phones. Some are even making mechanical devices. At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Peter Schmitt, a PhD student, has been printing something that resembles the workings of a grandfather clock. It took him a few attempts to get right, but eventually he removed the plastic clock from a 3D printer, hung it on the wall and pulled down the counterweight. It started ticking."
Witness the birth of DIY, sharable, printable robo-mechatronics! See also Amit Zoran's Printstrument, Shapeways service, and the Ultimaker @ MITERS!

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