Archive for February, 2013

A 3D printer from MakerBot Industries. (Courtesy MakerBot) via thetakeaway.com

This is not a sequel to the dreadful 1991 horror flick, but rather the most recent advance in an industry that is innovating at a bewildering pace.

Not a month ago we posted on the incredible story of Emma Lavelle, born with a genetic condition that causes joints and muscles to stiffen and eventually be rendered useless, for whom an exoskeleton was created using 3D printing technology.

But printing real body parts? That’s the stuff of pure science fiction…right? Via The Takeaway: Continue reading “Printing Body Parts” »

The Printrbot on its Founder’s kitchen counter. Jim Wilson/The New York Times

“Honey, is the coffee on?”

“No the machine is broken.”

“Well can you fire up the P-bot and make a new one? I can’t open my eyes…”

“Only if you promise to take out the garbage!”
Continue reading “3D Printers: The 21st Century’s Must-Have Home Appliance” »

If you’re a fan of our Facebook page, you may have seen our weekly “Wednesday Ink in Water” series, highlighting spectacular artistic photographs of, well, ink in water.

Prepare to be completely blown away:

Continue reading “Ink Drops on a 4K Television” »

“the” in electronic ink. via tumblr.

Or, if you’re already there, good to see you!
Continue reading “Welcome to the World of Electronic Ink!” »

Come on…you know you love it. Everyone, whether they admit it or not, loves trivia. And even moreso than trivia, what we love is getting stuff for getting trivia questions right! So that’s what we’re gonna do. Click the picture to get there and play without having to read any more.

Continue reading “Introducing Ink Technologies Trivia!” »

As harsh as that sounds, rest assured at the very least that the legal implications of 3D printing is going to get way, way thornier before it gets smoother. Under the somewhat deceptive title “The Coolest 3D Printer Projects”, although they eventually get to 10 pretty cool projects, PC Magazine’s article is really a primer on just how difficult the legal landscape is going to be once 3D printing truly hits the masses…or well before, as the case may be:

Today, whether or not a physical object may be copyrighted falls into somewhat of a gray area, Public Knowledge claimed in a recent paper. And those objects also straddle two different definitions: patents cover objects that do things, while copyright covers artistic works. Each has their own legal framework. The situation grows even messier when copyright is asserted against a site like Thingiverse, where design files are shared, allowing other individuals to download and print their own designs. In this case, traditional DMCA takedown notices, such as those applied to music or movies, may not work.

Continue reading “Could You Go To Jail for 3D Printing?” »

Forgive us for saying this but…why should the ladies have all the fun on Valentine’s Day? What about the guys and the kids? What about Fido and Puddles and Buttons and Professor ShinySides? They would be the dog, the cat, the other cat and the goldfish, in case the names didn’t give it away.
Continue reading “A Valentine’s Day to Remember: For Everybody!” »

Image: Fbox.org

We can all breathe a collective sigh of relief at today’s Valentine’s Day DIY suggestion, as we’ve dispensed with the need for scissors and cutting. As you’ll note from our previous two entries, scissors and relative precision cutting were required to recreate the paper flowers and heart garland. Continue reading “A Valentine’s Day to Remember: Framed Photos” »

Chocolates are always good. Roses will never fail. But the simple fact is that chocolate and roses are, let’s face it, predictable and almost cliche’ at this point. We’re here to help you make a real impression this Valentine’s Day, to make it truly one to remember.

All you need for this project is a printer, inkjet cartridges, patterned card stock and some lace to tie it all together. The procedure, outlined by the terrific people at Better Homes & Gardens, is painless (even more so than yesterday’s idea). Continue reading “A Valentine’s Day to Remember: A Decorated Abode” »

We’re taking a quick break from 3D printing, ink thieves and Petabytes to bring you a series on handcrafted, unique Valentine’s Day ideas that’ll make her (or his!) heart swoon. Valentine’s Day is just a few days away and we encourage you to dispense with the old standbys like chocolate and roses this year, and put together a gift from the heart and your own hands your significant other will never forget.

Continue reading “A Valentine’s Day to Remember: Paper Flowers” »