The Design Technology Blog

Category: Technology

  • 3d printed artwork

    3d-print-show-michael-eden-bloom-537x402

     

    <Bloom> by Michael Eden

    The artwork above uses an unbelievably complex design formed by a cylinder pattern. Using the cylinders Eden has made grail like object that is quite impressive. Although the design itself is already amazing, but what’s more impressive is the structure of each piece that was used to build this art work. It is in’t just a simple addition of thousands of cylinders, but a completely planned organization of cylinders that are built in maybe about 4~5 pieces in total. In history many craftsmen and sculptors have shown exceptional skills in building, but no one has ever been able to create such detailed and complex structures. In fact many people have never even though of building such models knowing that it is impossible by human hands. 3D printing in my opinion has brought “impossible” to the art world. Michael Eden used a 3D printer to make his art work “Bloom”, and although not a renown art form yet, it is definitely a strong candidate of future artwork.

  • 3D Printing- Food- Saving Lives

    3D printing is a process of making three dimensional solid objects from a digital model, and performed by a materials printer using digital technology. 3D printing has come up with a way to end hunger. 3D printing can end hunger by creating 3D food.

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    3D printed food will affect mankind, as it will feed everyone. According to the “contacter”, 3D printing meanms the end of food waste. If ever the worlds population reaches its peak, the people will not be able to live due to hunger. However, due to the 3d printed foods, people will be able to live without hunger. The machines will have powder that is shelf stable for up to 30 years, having all the nutrients.The 3D printing affects the society socialy as not only the rich will be able to never face hunger, but also the poor. The 3D printer will provide the poor with food at a lower price.

    Not only will3D printing help the people from being exposed to hunger, it will also save lives. On May 22nd 2013, a baby was saved by 3D printing from tracheomalacia, which is a diease that causes the windpipe to collapse. After being given the permission the doctors were allowed to use the 3D printed part in order to save the baby.

    This shows a future of advancement in medicine. 3D will help save lives that are suffering. This as said before, will lead to an adfvancement in medicine, and save many lives, moreover, it will make the process of organ donation faster as the patient will not have to wait for an organ donor, instead the organ can be 3D printed.

    In conclusion, 3D printing is an excellent invention, as in the soon future it will be saving lives due to organ donation and prevention of hunger.

     

     

     

     

    References:

    “3D Printed Medical Device Saves Baby’s Life | Video – Live Science | e! Science News.” e! Science News | Latest science news articles. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 May 2013. http://esciencenews.com/sources/live.science/2013/05/22/3d.printed.medical.device.saves.babys.life.video.
     
    “The Audacious Plan to End Hunger With 3D-Printed Food.” Mashable. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 May 2013. http://mashable.com/2013/05/21/end-hunger-3d-printed-food/.
     

  • 3D Printed Bionic Ear

    3D printing is a porcess in which a three-dimensional solid object is made from a digital model. It is differentiated from most typical machining techniques that depend on the process of removing materials by cutting or drilling. It uses a digital technology that works for prototyping as well as distributed manufacturing in fields like industrial design, architecture, engineering and construction (AEC), automotive, aerospace, dental and medical industries, education, geographic information systems and civil engineering.

    Scientists at Princeton University have used 3D printing to design a bionic ear that can hear better than a normal human ear can. The printed ear intertwines embedded electronics, as the Princeton researchers 3D-printed nano particles and cells and combined cartilage with a small coil antenna to produce the bionic ear.

    The ear ended up hearing radio frequencies a million times higher than the average human ear. Lead researcher and assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at Princeton Michael McAlpine reported that “the way that our ear hears now is we pick up acoustic signals and then we convert those into electrical signals that go to our brain. What this ear does is it has this electronic coil on it and it picks up electronic signals directly.” The research team wanted to ask the question of whether it would be possible to grow an organ in a petri dish with intertwined electronics as the organ developed. The successful bionic ear was made using a $1,000 3D printer to print the cells and electronics. Then, the ear was placed in a petri dish to allow the cells culture for 10 weeks into cartilage tissue.

    Professor McAlpine said that his team did not create the bionic ear to help the deaf or those without ears, but rather “The idea of this was: can you take a normal, healthy, average human and give them superpower that they wouldn’t normally have?”

    Works Cited:

    “3D printing – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.” Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2013. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3D_printing>.

    Ramachandran, Vignesh. “3D-Printed ‘Bionic’ Ear Can Hear Beyond Human Ability.” Mashable. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2013. <http://mashable.com/2013/05/24/3d-printed-ear-princeton/>.

  • Speakers

    Speakers:

    Speakers are in our everyday lives. Speakers allow us to share our music with others without having to share earphones. There are many different designs of speakers being made for your pleasure. Different designs and sizes like for example the Roc Speakers. The Roc Speakers are the size of an average person’s fist. Other speakers like the Bose speakers are much larger and louder. Different companies are trying to make speakers with the best base and sound delivery. Most speakers for younger generations are miniature due to portability. One of the most common portable speakers used today is the “iHome iHM89 Rechargeable Portable Mini Speakers”. These speakers come in a pair, and allow the user to play music from the same source, but with double the volume and clarity. The most expensive yet popular types of speakers are wireless. These speakers have endless possibilities. Allowing the user to play and mix music from two different sources. The “Samsung HW-E450 Wireless AirTrack Sound Bar” costs $299.99, but gives the user the freedom to mix and DJ the music. It also contains two different speakers, so it’s double the impact. Overall, speakers are essential in our lives. Allowing us to share music and other media with other people, speakers are seen every day.

    http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=s9_dnav_bw_ir01_s?rh=n%3A172563%2Cp_n_feature_browse-bin%3A172572&ie=UTF8

    http://www.bose.com/controller?url=/shop_online/speakers/index.jsp

  • The iPod

    iPod Family

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Wikipedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Dec. 2012. <http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/11/IPod_family.png/250px-IPod_family.png>.

     

     

     

    The iPod is a portable media player that was designed and, now, sold/marketed by Apple. The company has designed 4 varieties of the iPod: iPod shuffle, iPod nano, iPod touch and iPod classic.  IPods can be used to store music, photos, videos, games and much more; nonetheless, how much iPods can store depends on the storage capacity, which is different for each model. The capacity of the iPod can vary from 2GB, which is usually found in models like the iPod shuffle & iPod nano, to 160GB, which is normally the case with the iPod classic. This product is considered convenient and worthwhile, which is why it is so popular and still bought all over. Whenever an athlete wishes for the time to pass while running or a teenager feels bored on his/her way to school, the iPod is always a solution for such cases.

     

    Although the iPod is such a beneficial and beloved product, it does happen to be the cause of numerous negative effects on society. Firstly, despite the fact that people are aware of the results of listening to their iPods while driving, people do so anyway. This frequently leads to many car accidents as people forget to concentrate on the road. The same happens with those going by foot or by bike, as they also neglect the fact that they might get run over because of the music playing in their ears. Moreover, iPods also create antisocialism, as people now prefer to listen to their music rather than to interact with their friends/acquaintances. Logically, isolating oneself from the rest of society could lead to many problems later on. Furthermore, people that listen to music too loud also receive hearing problems early on. The pressure of the high volume on a person’s ear drums causes either periodic hearing loss or, sometimes, permanent hearing loss, depending on how badly the individuals’ ear drums is damaged. Lastly, the fact that illegally downloading music has become an ordinary thing is very problematic for the music industry. When people download the music without paying, the music industry loses a lot of money as a result of the record sales that drop immensely.

  • PlayStation Vita

    Many people have heard of Sony’s very successful PlayStation Portable. The product is known to have been the best portable gaming device on the market at the time competing with the Nintendo DS. Although the DS attracted a different market, it’s graphics capabilities did not match that of the PSP at the time of its release. Furthermore, the PSP attracted multiple markets where as the DS did not.

    Since then the Sony PSP has developed into the PSP Go, which sadly was not as a great a success. Issues with how the device stored games and the fairly expensive price led people away from the product. However, Sony has tried to push back from their last market failure with the PS Vita. This new portable gaming console competes with the 3DS and is part of the eighth generation of gaming consoles.

    The PlayStation Vita comes with a number of new functions. For starters, the console has a new multi-touch screen that provides a new style of game play for the user. This 5″ OLED screen happens to be larger than either the PSP or PSP Go and displays approximately over 16 million different colors.

    Of course the idea of touch screen gaming is nothing new (courtesy of Apple), but the PS Vita’s usage of “touch” within game play goes further with the incorporation of a rear touch pad on the back of the console. This touch pad provides the same usage as the front touch screen, but instead of having the user block part of the screen withtheir hand while using the touch pad they may now use the touch pad on the back. This can be very important within intense boss fights and other tricky challenges while in game.

    The original PSP systems used UMD discs to store games, however these disks could only store 1.8 GB of memory. The PSP Go did not have any form of game storage other than digital files, which had to be downloaded from the PlayStation Network store. This bothered gamers a great deal since they could not play their old PSP games on their new PSP Go. Furthermore, the PSN store only sold so many games. However, with the PS Vita came the use of NVG cards to store games. This proprietary flash card format is similar to the Nintendo 3DS game cards. The cards hold initially 2-4 GB of data, which is substantially bigger than that of the prior UMD disks, with plans for bigger cards for bigger games in the future.

    The console also has front and rear view cameras, which are incorporated with player ranking and other gaming uses. Pictures and videos can also be taken with the two cameras. Furthermore, the PS Vita is the first portable gaming console to have Dual analog sticks. This provides the user with the same control capability as when playing a PS3 or PS2 as well as provides room for game developers to further enhance the game play of games for the user. Such improvements are quite noticeable in first person shooters.

    Cross platforming is also available on the PS Vita. This refers to the ability to play games interchangeably between consoles, such as the PS3 and PS Vita in this case. This allows the user to be play one game on their PS3, pause the game on the PS3, and then continue it on the PS Vita. This function also allows PS Vita users and PS3 users to play against each other online, thus increasing the number of users of gaming servers. This makes it easier for people to connect to matches due to the increased number of people online.

    Six axis motion sensors have also been added to the PS Vita. Six axis motion sensors are known for their use in PS3 controllers. They provide the user with the ability to tilt the console in order to control the game play. This feature is also common in products such as the iPod Touch, but is new to strict portable gaming consoles such as those made by Sony and Nintendo.

    The PS Vita’s starting price is at $249, but there is a second model for $300. This is the PS Vita 3G/Wi-Fi system and is powered by AT&T’s Mobile Broadband Network. On this console, users can receive and post scores and game ranking wherever they are as well as carry on in multiplayer game sessions, and cross game text messaging in parties. A GPS system is also available on the 3G/Wi-Fi models that allows the user to locate and play with friends.

    Sony’s new console has raised the bar for portable gaming and although it’s starting price may seem a little high for a portable console (costing about just the same as a PlayStation 3) it is not for bad reasons. The console brings forward the use of new technology and pushes it to its maximum capabilities. Gamers can only wait to see what fantastic games the console will produce.

    　

    　

    http://us.playstation.com/psvita/features/#psvita-rear-touch

    http://www.techradar.com/reviews/gaming/handheld-consoles/ps-vita-1061138/review

    PSP VS PlayStation Vita Comparison

  • Fiberglass

    Fiberglass is an incredibly versatile material and it comes in several forms. Almost everyone has seen fiberglass insulation and anyone who has touched it will recall the itchy feeling often with a little rash which develops afterwards. This Is because the minute shards of glass cut into the skin and cause irritation.

    The fiberglass used in the automotive industry is different from insulation fiberglass. It usually comes in a mat, tissue or cloth, although a chopped strand mixed with resin is often used for large applications such as boat hulls.

    MATERIALS 

    Gelcoats are the shiny face of fiberglass, gelcoats are what you see on most fiberglass vehicles (which haven’t been painted) or boat hulls. Gelcoats consist of a thick gel-like resin mixed with a colored pigment, it is the first thing laid into a mold and therefore when the mold is removed it becomes the exterior.

    Below is simple diagram showing how many fiberglass bodies are constructed, there are other methods and this is just a common example.

     

    Tissue
    Fiberglass tissue as the name suggests is a very thin tissue like layer of fiberglass, it is very smooth and porous and the tissue sits underneath the gelcoat. Tissue helps to smooth out the inherent roughness of fiberglass matting, while also adding strength.

    Mat
    Fiberglass matting makes up the bulk of any fiberglass bodied car. Several layers are built up one on top of another until the desired thickness and strength is achieved. This is what you might see if you look at the inside of a fiberglass panel.

    Cloth
    Fiberglass cloth is strong and is often used where it may be visible and therefore aesthetics are important. One of the downsides of fiberglass cloth is that because the strands are neatly woven the layers do not intermesh like they do with the disorganised and loose strands on the fiberglass mat. Therefore the layers of cloth sit on top of one another, rather than meshing together like the fiberglass mat.

    Resin and Hardener
    Without resin the fiberglass itself would be useless for building anything requiring rigidity. Resin is mixed with a catalyst before application to the fiberglass. The drying process involves a chemical reaction which has several variables including, the amount of catalyst, temperature, humidity, and any water present in the fiberglass resin (water shouldn’t be there!).

    End result
    The results which can be achieved with fiberglass are quite impressive. Once fully hardened and sealed with resin or a gelcoat fiberglass is waterproof, relatively light weight and when done properly it is extremely strong. It is reasonably inexpensive when compared to the alternatives, in short it is an ideal material for the automotive field.

    http://www.fiberglasswarehouse.com/index.php

    http://www.inlinefiberglass.com/

    http://www.uscomposites.com/cloth.html

     

     

  • Water JetPack

    Everyone would like to be able to fly above the water, for unlimited time, and that is exactly what Jetlev-Flyer allows you to do. It is designed by a company named MS Watersports GmbH, a German company. The water jet pack is easy to maneuver and extremely stable, the main website explains that “the bilateral nozzles are positioned higher than your center of gravity, so your body behaves like a pendulum or hanging flower pot. The nozzles are also designed to counteract against rolling motion from side-to-side. The hose and water inside it adds a great deal of extra weight below your center of gravity, so the higher you fly, the more roll stability you have. In forward motion, drag from the hose provides a third stabilizing point, ensuring stable forward motion. Finally, the jetpack’s rigid back rest, saddle and body harness keep your upper torso rigid while the trapeze prevents your legs from flailing in the air.” So those qualities make the jet pack extremely flexible for the user allowing ease of use, and anyone older than 18 years old can use it, as long as they are in good physical shape and good health. The JetLev-Flyer can go up to a maximum of 30 feet above the water, and if someone falls, they will be falling at a speed less than 30mph and the water drag will slow them down, so they won’t hit the water so hard that it will cause injuries, plus the users use protective equipment. Another cool thing is that the JetLev-Flyer was designed so it can take up to 6 minutes to learn how to use it, so in no time you will be able to fly above the water. It also allows you to do a certain moves, such as 90 and 180 turn while up on the water, also you can do tight turns and many other more moves. And for people that don’t like noisy products, the JetLev-Flyer has no engine and no moving parts other than the articulated thrust assembly, the only noise is the water jets making splashing noises when they enter the water and the boat unit which provides the water for the jetpack has a great sound insulation. In conclusion the JetLev-Flyer is a fun product to use, which allows you to fly around, plus the jetpack is a quiet, comfortable product, the only negative aspect is the insanely high price varying from 79,900 –  99,900 Euros, so in other words only people with a great amount of money can afford such product.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    For more information you can visit the main website at http://www.jetlev-flyer.com/home.html

  • Wireless power

    A few years ago there was a demonstration by a team at Fulton Innovation of a product called eCoupled. Using the principle of electromagnetic induction, by which an electrical charge can be stimulated in a wire coil by placing another one nearby, the crazy boffins were able to display wireless power transfer.

    Despite being high voltage, they said, it was safe, efficient and could be applied to any surface. The demo room consisted of a kitchen without plugs, but full of lights that could be stuck anywhere and a frying pan that heated up just by sitting it on the counter. Put a phone on the same counter and it began charging. Clearly, this was the future.

     

    wireless power

     

    Fulton are still working on wireless power, but it’s a different company that’s beat it to the shops, Powermat – and its products are expensive for something that replaces a 50p mains plug.

    The Wireless Power Consortium are going to be finalising a standard for wireless power called Qi later this year, which should mean prices drop and manufacturers have the confidence to build the technology straight into devices, rather than requiring an adaptor.

    Another similar technology is the  Airnergy by RCA. It’s a tiny dongle that can turn Wi-Fi signals back into electricity for charging phone batteries and the like.

  • Robotics for Medical Purposes

    The use of robot’s to aid mankind has endless possibilities. Robotics can be used in many areas including medical purposes. One area where robot’s can help is medical procedures that require high precision. Operations are done by expert’s that are skilled at what they do but people can only be so accurate. Also these skilled people might not always be available. If a robot can be built that can make operations on people it will greatly aid our society. Robot’s will not only make operations with more accuracy and precision than humans, but also they can easily be mass produced making them much more readily available for people in need than skilled medical professionals.

    Robot’s can also be made to physically enhance human abilities. Exoskeletons can be robotics that are in a suit/harness type thing that can be worn and will enhance muscle movement’s of the human body. In the medical view people who have multiple sclerosis might be able to use this to enhance their muscle movement’s since their condition limit’s their muscle movement. If a muscle is weak the robotics could sense the slightest force in a body part and then add power to it to make the person have a strong movement.

    Scientists Report Breakthrough in Quest For "Prosthetic Exoskeleton"

     

    The harness could be made to cover only some limbs or the whole body potentially letting a person who is confined to a wheelchair stand up and walk on their own leg’s again.