3D-printing
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The Urbee Hybrid is the first car to come out of a printer, presumably a big one
3D Printers are getting ever more advanced and, apparently, ever bigger too. Proof to that is the Urbee Hybrid, the result of a partnership between transportation company Kor Ecologic and Stratasys, who we've already seen shamelessly rebranding its 3D printers as HP Designjets. Kor provided the concept and the underpinnings of the thing, a design that amazingly has its roots in the early '90s but has been given a new, teardrop body 100 percent printed by Stratasys. Underneath is a plug-in hybrid powertrain that manages up to 200mpg on the highway and 100mpg around town running on ethanol or plain 'ol gasoline. No, there are no plans for the three-wheelin' Urbee to actually see production, and beneath that luscious shape rolls something that looks rather more like a work in progress, which you can see in an early video below.
3D printed Steve Jobs pixel bust for sale
For the Apple fan who has everything, here's a blockhead bust of Steve Jobs. It's been 3D printed by Dutch artist Metin Seven, and if the urge so hits you, you can buy your own online for just under $120. I'm not entirely sure what the bust is made out of, but 3D printing usually requires a mixture of molding powder and resin that hardens into a kind of brittle claylike material, but of course for display this thing looks fine. It's not too tall, either -- 14x10x6 cm or so. Sounds perfect for displaying on a desk -- you can have your very own "one more thing" anytime you want. [via Super Punch]
MakerBot's Automated Build Platform enables handsfree, multi-part 3D printing
Currently, 3D printers require users to remove a finished object, clean things up and input more commands before it starts building something from nothing a second time around. At least, the "affordable" ones do. But our pals over at MakerBot Industries have a far better idea, and if we didn't know any better, we'd say this type of problem solving would get the ever-desired thumbs-up from one Anthony Sullivan. Put simply, the Automated Build Platform works with your existing 3D printer, and thanks to its mighty conveyor belt action, it wipes away completed objects, clears the boogers off the nozzle, resets itself and prints again. It's up for order right now for $160, but you should probably check out the (admittedly enticing) video after the break before deciding if it's right for you. Oh, and if you're too lazy to click through, chances are it is.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: solar surpasses nuclear, sewage-fueled rockets and the world's largest turbine
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. It was an exciting week for renewable energy, as Inhabitat reported the news that solar energy has trumped nuclear power in terms of cost for the first time! We also looked at two innovative new wind turbine designs - the supermassive Aerogenerator, which at 10MW stands to be the world's largest, and the diminutive home-focused Honeywell turbine, which will be hitting store shelves next month. Green transportation also received a big boost this week as Stanford researchers revealed a way to transform raw sewage into rocket fuel. Meanwhile, Santiago Calatrava heralded a new era for efficient transportation as he unveiled his awe-inspiring new rail station for the Denver International Airport. And with the summer heat embroiling cities across the states, we're daydreaming of slipping away to sea aboard this sleek solar Delta yacht. In other news, wearable technology is changing the way we change our underwear -- odor-absorbing astronaut undies have finally hit the shelves. We were also impressed by a new breed of 3d-printed textiles that may one day make needles and threads obsolete. Finally, in the spirit of summer this week we showcased 6 innovative designs that harness the power of play - from energy generating soccer balls to water-pumping merry go-rounds.
MakerBot prints another MakerBot, the circle is complete
MakerBot isn't the first self-replicating 3D printer -- that spectacular distinction went to the RepRap Darwin back in 2008 -- but that doesn't make it any less awesome that the $750 machine is now able to produce its own frame. With a month's labor, owner Webca was able to create the entire plastic chassis you see above, using a second MakerBot constructed of the traditional wooden parts. Without knowing how much goop went into the project, it's a touch difficult to say if the method is economical, but there's nothing to keep you from trying the same. Best of all, Webca decided to share his plans with the world -- you'll find instructions for all 150 pieces at the source link, a month off of work in your wildest dreams.
The world's tiniest open source violin
Got a 3D printer? Make manifest your sympathy for those forewarned but apparently not forearmed. The heartfelt tune it plays is CC licensed, and you can get it from my seed on JoinDiaspora.com whenever that project gets going. Confused? Hit the more coverage link. Intrigued? Build your own at the source.
3D printer creates ice sculptures -- just add water
Paper-mache, candy, and human cells have all been seen flowing through 3D printers for custom fabrication work, but students and faculty at Canada's McGill University have a cheaper prototyping material: plain ol' H2O. They recently modified this Fab@Home Model 1 by replacing the soft goo extruders with a temperature-controlled water delivery system, and set about making decorative ice sculptures and a large beer mug for good measure. While the academic project is officially supposed to explore "economic alternatives to intricate 3D models of architectural objects," we're not sure architects will want much to do with prototypes that drip... but tourism might well get a boost from liquor sold in frosty custom containers. We're thirsty just looking at them.
Bits from Bytes' new 3D printer extrudes with the best of 'em
We've seen a number of 3D printers lately, and this time we have a budget model for you (that is, if $3,000 is "budget" -- and we suppose it is, compared to the $20,000 and more some of these bad boys can cost). Bits from Bytes has recently announced the BFB 3000, available with up to three print heads, an SD card reader, a printing area of 320mm x 300mm x 200mm, and a max print speed of 15mm3 per second. Available soon for about £2,000. We suppose you'll be ordering a couple, right? Either way, get a closer look in the gallery below. %Gallery-90420% [Thanks, TMoney2007]
HP molds itself an entry into the 3D printer market
Don't let HP's involvement confuse you, there's a very good chance John Q. Consumer won't be able to afford a 3D printer anytime soon. But the company is dipping its toes into the industry thanks to a deal with Stratasys. The latter will produce an "exclusive line of 3D printers based on Stratasys' patented Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) technology." Those will be sold under HP branding targeted at the Mechanical Design (MCAD) market. The specific product details are still shrouded in mystery (that's just a quick Photoshop, left), but for perspective, Stratasys' cheapest printer is the uPrint, which can mold 8 x 6 x 6-inch models for a smidgen under $15,000. Still interested, despite price deterrent? Don't forget there's some DIY options for you out there for less than a grand.
Joyswag: Personalized DS stylus from Shapeways [update]
[Update: The contest is closed! Keep an eye on your email to see if you've won.]Shapeways uses 3D printing technology to fabricate items based on submitted 3D models -- like the custom Nintendo-themed DS styli we've featured. The site has graciously offered to activate its futuristic alien technology for Joyswag purposes, meaning that one lucky winner will receive a stylus like the one above, designed by extrudedqwerty, in stainless steel, customized with the winner's own initials on the back. Shapeways is doing the impossible -- printing a solid object just for you -- and all you have to do is: Leave a comment telling us what kind of stylus you use now You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec) Limit 1 entry per person per calendar day This entry period ends at 11:59 am ET on Friday, July 24 At that time, we'll randomly select one grand-prize winner to receive a personalized Hylian Shield DS stylus from Shapeways ($30 ARV) For a list of complete rules, click here
TurpsterVision: FigurePets Unveiling
We can't believe it either – Turpster has been let loose on WoW.com to bring you videos from in and around the World of Warcraft! You've heard him on The WoW Insider Show now see him on TurpsterVision right here on WoW.comToday FigurePrints revealed their brand new line of 3D printed WoW products in the form of 3-piece collectible non-combat pets -- FigurePets! As always I was on hand with a camera, a knife and a box of products to open cautiously on camera to give you the first impressions on this exciting new product range.Also I managed to sit down with Ed Fries, the FigurePrint founder, and ask him a few questions about the new FigurePets and what else might be on the horizon for 3D Printed WoW Products.Behind the break you'll find the video, interview and a photo gallery of the FigurePets.
TurpsterVision: FigurePrints review
We can't believe it either – Turpster has been let loose on WoW.com to bring you videos from in and around the World of Warcraft! You've heard him on The WoW Insider Show now see him on TurpsterVision right here on WoW.com This past week I undertook an epic unveiling of not so epic proportions in opening up my very own FigurePrint. Fortunately for you, the lucky viewer, I've captured this live on video -- a first encounter of the most awesome kind -- which can be found below the break!The first thing that struck me upon opening the package was the weight of it all; the dome is real glass and is a fantastic way to display your character, keeping them free from dust and many other household evils that lurk outside of Azeroth. The reason I would want to go for a FigurePrint would be to immortalize my character, preserving the culmination of four and a half years hard gaming, and this extra layer of protection allows that to happen. It does however present a barrier, much like we have when playing the game, where we can't touch our character (This statement takes on a whole different meaning with some of Night Elf female mailbox dancers out there) but obviously it serves the purpose of protecting the FigurePrint so I guess I can let it slide.Click on past the break to catch the video and check out the gallery getting up close and personal with FigurePrints!
Video: MakerBot's build-it-yourself 3D printer in action, replicator in the works
We just bumped into the MakerBot industries folks and got a quick look at the CupCake CNC rapid prototyping machine (3D printer, for us luddites). The thing extrudes Lego-type plastic into fairly detailed shapes, and MakerBot sells it as a kit for $750, or fully assembled for $2,500. What's most exciting is that the MakerBot folks are now working on a 3D scanner kit, which once combined with the CupCake CNC will make a full-on homegrown replicator. Diamond Age, here we come! A quick demo of the CupCake is after the break.
Figureprints in the EU
Our buddies over at Figureprints, the company that makes custom 3D printed sculptures of your WoW characters, have expanded their business yet again -- this time, they're opening the doors to you EU players. Ed Fries, who we have spoken with twice now, says that they are finally ready to expand overseas, and EU players can now order their own custom figurines through the website.There is a small catch, however -- at this point, while there is no lottery as far as we know, they are charging European customers €129.95, which ends up being about $166, or about $30 more than the US price of $129.95. And obviously shipping overseas from the company's HQ here in America probably won't be too cheap either, and shipping is extra no matter where you're buying the figures from. It looks like Figureprints just figured they'd charge "129.95" to both sides of the world, but thanks to the exchange rate, EU folks are actually paying more.But then again, we're guessing that people who have been waiting for their chance in the EU to pick one of these up will probably go for the higher price anyway. Figureprints started out a little rough with their limited production capabilities, and a few early bumps in quality, but lately it seems like they're rolling along better than ever.
BlizzCon 2008: A followup with FigurePrints
Last time we talked to Ed Fries, he was a man setting out with a brand-new company, new not only in terms of age, but new in that they were doing something no one had ever tried before: bringing 3D printing to retail. FigurePrints started printing 3D figurines of WoW characters last year, and since then, they've been through good and bad (the earliest figures were plagued by quality concerns, but the company is doing well enough that they've even raised the price since they started already). So we were very curious to each up with Ed at BlizzCon and see how things were going. Was demand still up? Has the process changed at all? How's the quality thing being dealt with? And we were perhaps most curious about just what people were putting on their figures when they got them printed.Ed answered all of our questions and more: demand is still up, quality is getting better, and people are dressing in.. tuxedos and beer steins? Click the link below to check out our second interview with Ed Fries, founder of FigurePrints, and catch up on the company that promises to bring your virtual WoW characters to real life.
Breakfast Topic: Figureprints
When we first heard about Figureprints, everybody seemed fairly keen to get one -- there were thousands of people trying to get in on the drawing, and lots of folks were more than willing to put down their $100 for a custom, real-life figure of their characters created directly from the in-game models.But as the Dude (if censored) might say, new stuff has come to light. We've seen the first Figureprints off the press, and the quality, so far, hasn't been impressive, to say the least. We should note that Figureprints is replacing that figure in the gallery, but we'd like to know: has all of this new information changed your mind about Figureprints?Are you still excited to get one, or have you changed your mind from originally liking the idea to not so thrilled about the actual product? Or, like Matthew Rossi, have you said "This aggression will not stand, man," from the beginning? OK, that's not really what he said (I just wanted to quote the Dude agaIn), but where are you at on Figureprints lately? Yea or nay?
FigurePrints donates custom figure to The Bronze Kettles' Child's Play charity raffle
Yesterday, Jon and Shelbi at The Bronze Kettle announced that they had added several more prizes to the list for the charity raffle they are sponsoring for Child's Play. In addition to the already mentioned list of prizes, The Bronze Kettle revealed that Blizzard and FigurePrints have donated a custom FigurePrints action figure of your in-game World of Warcraft character to add to the raffle as the Grand Prize. These figures have, to date, only been available either with the purchase of a Dell XPS M1730 laptop valued at around $4500, or by winning a place in the random drawing that FigurePrints will be holding on December 21st. This could be your chance to win one of these extremely exclusive figures, a full week before they go on sale to those lucky enough to win a place in the first official drawing. You can read more about FigurePrints and their custom World of Warcraft action figures of your in-game character in this WoW Insider interview with Ed Fries, the founder of FigurePrints.
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WoW Insider interviews Ed Fries, founder of FigurePrints
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/pc_games/WoW_Insider_gets_the_skinny_on_FigurePrints'; After a quick announcement last week, the FigurePrints site opened yesterday, offering Warcraft players an easy (if not necessarily cheap-- each figure runs about $115) way to recreate their ingame characters in real-life figurine form.But we still had lots of questions. How did these figures get made? What kind of material were they made of, and where did FigurePrints get the models and information to turn ingame characters into real sculptures? For the answers, we went straight to the source. Ed Fries has been in and around gaming for a long time, and after playing WoW for years (and creating games for years before that), he had the idea to create a way to bring Warcraft characters to life with a 3D printer. WoW Insider got a chance to talk to Ed on the day that his company's site went live, and all the answers to your questions about FigurePrints are right after the jump.
Bring your character home with FigurePrints
Sure, there are already licensed World of Warcraft figurines by way of DC. But those are just so generic, you know? Now, what if I told you you could get a figure that looks exactly like your in-game character, outfitted in any gear you own? That's exactly what FigurePrints, a new venture that is set to go live on December 11th, promises to do for you. They are apparently official -- check out the "Licensed Blizzard Product" badge in the bottom-right -- and I find the idea quite intriguing. From one perspective it's the next logical step in merchandising, but really, look at the future we're living in: create a character in an online fantasy game, and have a third party step in, take a model of the character, make a custom 3D print of it, and mail it to your doorstep. This type of stuff has been done before, yes, but the quality on the sample FigurePrints is quite impressive.Here's some information from the site's FAQ: The data is pulled from the Armory, which makes me wonder: how do they get your appearance right? The Armory, unless I'm mistaken, doesn't include things like hairstyle and the other various customization options. The actual statuettes are built using rapid prototyping (AKA 3D printing) using vertically-stacked slices of "plaster-like powder" and then hand-finished. The scale is 1:18, which means a male human comes out about 4 inches tall, not counting the base. And the price? $99.95, plus $14.95 shipping and handling. They warn that availability is limited, and that the best way to guarantee you get one is to make an account at their site, although I wasn't able to get past the "Open December 11th" banner to actually click on anything. So how about it? Will you be lining up to pay $100 plus shipping to bring your toon out of Azeroth?
Objet Geometries set to unveil multi-material 3D printer
CAD fans, prepare to get stoked. Objet Geometries -- a "world leader" in photopolymer jetting -- has announced that it will debut a system capable of producing 3D parts and assemblies made from different materials in a single build. The device, known as the Connex500, utilizes the company's "PolyJet Matrix," which can create 21 composite materials and seven separate model materials. "The Connex500 opens a new chapter for the 3-D printing and rapid prototyping industry," said Adina Shorr, CEO of Objet. The machine is capable of producing both rigid and flexible material, and can create polypropylene-like surfaces. Honestly, the process the Connex500 uses is pretty complicated stuff, but you really only need to understand one basic fact: you will never again be missing a piece from your chess set. Hit the read link and get all the technical details on your next pricey purchase.
