A few colleagues and I had a truly great time up in Westport, Connecticut last weekend, where we were part of that state’s first ever Maker Faire event. This Mini Maker Faire was held on the giant lawn outside the Westport Public Library. The only downside there was that a bunch of the guests and makers at Saturday’s event probably didn’t get a chance to go inside that gorgeous facility.

Anyway, I just wanted to thank everyone for stopping by to see us. I learned a lot from all the visitors to our table. For example, Dr. Raimund Herzog stopped by to discuss some challenges he was facing with his Thing-O-Matic extruder. He didn’t realize it, but he was giving me an education in the history of extruders.

Ray also shared a really helpful tip that I think bears re-mentioning on the blog: when assembling your TOM, it’s always a good idea to have a magnetic wand on hand, such as the one he received along with his Weller soldering station.

If you’re about to embark on an assembly adventure, get one of these. I assembled a Replicator the other day and found myself wishing I had one on hand. The guys and girls in the Bot Cave use them a lot, in case you’re wondering about the tools of the trade.

Here’s a shot of Ray showing us how useful this tool was in putting together his Filament Spindle Box, and another shot below it from our Support pages showing another angle.

Thanks, Ray!

 

Kat writes:

You wanted to see people’s Makerbot’s in their home environments, so here is mine! I recently bought my first flat so the study is still pretty bare, but I got a 2m long desk to accommodate all my techie/crafty stuff and of course my Thing-O-Matic has pride of place You can see it here hanging out with some of my other robotic helpers…

Not a very exciting pic right now, but soon as I get time I’ll be printing out a clock for the wall (got my kit waiting), and designing a bespoke plastic spool holder to go on the wall.

Did you know that 1.1 billion people in this world live every day without a supply of clean water, and that 3,900 children die on a daily basis of water borne diseases?¹

Something really exciting started this week, and YOU are at the heart of it. In collaboration with MakerBot and the UK-based rapid prototyping firm Econolyst, techfortrade is offering up a $100,000 prize for a groundbreaking, world-changing innovation. This is an opportunity for all of our brilliant readers, you engineers and scientists, moms and dads and kids and everyone in between, to share your ideas for reducing poverty and growing local communities in the developing world.

Consider this — in 2006, the World Health Organization estimated that unsafe injection practices caused 1.3 million early deaths worldwide, or a more sobering “26 million years of life” lost. But an auto-disable syringe now in use in some locations may prevent the possibility that blood-borne diseases spread through contaminated needles. Could you have prototyped that syringe on your MakerBot; or better yet, can you make a better one?

What you need to know

Techfortrade is an organization that aims to energize small businesses in the developing world using mobile phone technologies. Did you know that by 2015, an estimated 400 million mobile phone users in Africa alone will not have electricity regularly supplied by a power grid? Accordingly, entries in the Challenge should

…exploit developments in 3D printing, mobile phone based scanning technology and web based design applications to improve the incomes and livelihoods of people in developing countries.

Are your gears turning yet? Techfortrade offers a couple ideas:

…entries could involve using 3D printed models and parts to improve agriculture practices, water supply or filtration processes, or energy supplies for rural or impoverished areas. An example suggested by techfortrade is creating parts on a 3D printer for broken waterpumps that can then be easily fixed by locals, rather than having to source parts and repairs from elsewhere. The technology could also be used generate income by manufacturing entirely new products from re-cycled plastic.

We’ve seen some great stuff at MakerBot along these lines. For example, this water purification system or the Freedom system that connects rural farmers with 3D printers. But we know there are many more seeds of ingenious devices waiting to be released into the world.

The participating organizations are eager to help participants brainstorm their ideas with each other and with industry experts. MakerBot will be hosting a workshop at our headquarters in New York City, and other events will take place in London, Nairobi, and Johannesburg. We’ll have more details on the New York workshop closer to the day, but here’s the full schedule.

New York, MakerBot Hedquarters – 12th May 2012
Johannesburg, Hackerspace – 22nd May 2012
London, Westminster Hub – 17th May 2012
Nairobi, Nairobi University FabLab– 25th May 2012

Click here for full information on the 3D4D Challenge.

 

1. According to the World Water Council [↩]

Did the blog seem slow yesterday? Oh that’s only because we were being visited by TEDx celebrity Thomas Suarez, the 12-year-old mobile app developer who gifted the world with Bustin Jieber, a Justin Bieber whack-a-mole.

The Biebs has apparently seen the app and finds it funny. Such a stand up guy, and it’s no surprise he and Thomas are being honored by the Tribeca Film Festival at its Third Annual Disruptive Innovation Awards. Also among the honorees is MakerBot CEO Bre Pettis, who is being recognized for his leadership in developing a cutting-edge, open source 3D printing ecosystem. Here’s the video of Thomas’ TEDx talk about learning to make apps.

 
Here’s a nice little coincidence: Thomas, on top of being a highly motivated innovator and impressive speaker – and a great kid – is a big fan of MakerBot. While in New York for the awards at Tribeca, Thomas stopped by our headquarters. I thought he was doing us a favor in gracing us with his presence, since we were all huge fans even before the Tribeca announcement, but the admiration was definitely mutual.

At every pass through different parts of the office, Thomas pointed out different things to us that only a real enthusiast could know. When one of our technical staff breezed by, Thomas stopped him: “Hey! You’re the guy that did the…” We tried to prompt him with why he recognized Sam, but our suggestions were actually not right. “No, it was the ReplicatorG video!” And he was right.

In the BotCave, Thomas pointed things out to his dad who told me his son was the 3D printing expert in the family. Incidentally, the senior Mr. Suarez was looked over for a VP post in Thomas’ company Carrot Corp., but ended up accepting a Manager position instead. I have the business cards on my desk to prove this relationship. Over lunch with Bre, Thomas tried to gently explain a few finer points to some of our non-technical staff. “Do you know what Skeinforge is?” he asked politely. We do know, but that’s exactly how a skilled tech evangelist speaks to someone he’s just met about something he thinks is really cool.

The Suarez family also recently acquired a MakerBot Replicator. We have been following his tweets and Thingiverse activity, just waiting to see what he cooked up for the Tribeca event. He brought us a sneak peek, and I’ll share pictures of it on this blog just as soon as he’s made his appearance tomorrow.

Good luck, Thomas!

 

How amazing would it be to be able to have a balloon in any shape?  What would you want?  A piano?  A cartoon character?  A giant bouncy house?

The New Scientist just reported that a team at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and Disney Research has developed a method for taking any desired 3D shape, then using their research on how a rubber balloon stretches as it inflates, reverse engineers the deflated shape that would most closely lead to the desired inflated balloon.  Then, once they have the model for the deflated balloon, they create a mold for it using a 3D printer!  If you just can’t wait to learn more, they’re presenting their work at the Eurographics conference in Italy next month.

Thanks to Luis Rodriguez for the link!

We’ve got a great thing happening on Twitter right now. For anyone interested in attending the TEDxNYED conference, we’re giving away two tickets ($100 value) to the best two answers to the question,

How will 3D printing change the world?

Here’s some info on the event.

TEDxNYED is independently organized by New York educators. At TEDxNYED, live speakers and TED Talk videos combine to spark deep discussion and connections. TEDxNYED presenters are invited to share their insights and inspire conversations about the future of education. Attendees of the conference participate via networking sessions where they educate one another and, in the spirit of TED, help spread these ideas.

TEDxNYED is operating under license from TED, organizers of the immensely popular TED Conference, an annual event where some of the world’s leading thinkers and doers are invited to share what they are most passionate about. In the spirit of “ideas worth spreading,” TED has created TEDx, a program of local, organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience.

We’ll pick two winners from all the submissions and give each of them a ticket to attend the TEDx event in New York City.

Where Museum of the Moving Image
36-01 35 Avenue (at 37 Street)
Astoria, NY 11106

When April 28, 2012

In order to participate in our giveaway, you have to drop us a tweet. Tell us how 3D printing will change the world in 140 characters or less. Mention us with @makerbot and be sure to hashtag #3DPrinting so we can find your tweet and put you in the running.

UPDATE: These tweets are being accepted until 11:59 p.m. EDT on Monday, April 23. Right around the corner, so share your thoughts with us now!

 

Got a couple things for you to mark down if you’re in Western Canada or New York City.

 

All aboard!

Tomorrow and Sunday, April 21-22, you can catch The Replicator at Supertrain 2012 in Calgary. The Supertrain conference is “Canada’s biggest and best annual train show”. The first time I thought about trains in the context of MakerBotting was Episode 6 of MakerBot TV Season 2 a couple weeks ago. Steve Conine printed some awesome model train tracks that you can see in the video.

The Supertrain event will be a really fun chance to see The Replicator in a creative but challenging hobby environment. Our distributor Greg Thorstad will be on hand to answer questions about the technology, and he’s super knowledgeable about 3D printing and our products. Go check this out, or let your friends in the area know about the cool opportunity.

 

MakerBot Education @ Tekserve

In case you missed our post about it on Tuesday, we have a series of classes going on at Tekserve in New York City, taught by one of our resident MakerBot Educators, Liz Arum. The first session happened yesterday, and we have two more left.

Those in attendance will get a good rundown of MakerBotting: how to incorporate 3D modelling and 3D printing into your lifestyle, regardless of your skill level.

Anyone who attended the class yesterday will have priority status for next week’s class. Follow the link below to reserve your spot!

Tekserve – Seminar Room
119 W 23rd Street
NY, NY 10011
212-929-3645

Thursday, April 26th, 6:30pm – 8pm
Tuesday, May 8th, 6:30pm – 8pm

Laptop and 3-button extra mouse required.

Click here to RSVP.

It’s always exciting to see science following in the footsteps of science fiction and this is no exception.  But, I have to admit, I almost¹ lost my mind when I read this post announcing that scientists at the University of Dundee have invented what they are actually referring to as a sonic screwdriver that actually moves physical objects remotely by use of sonic waves.²  Here’s a short video of it in action, levitating an object.

Doctor Who and his trusty tool, the sonic screwdriver, have been a staple of science fiction since it’s arrival in 1963.  The sonic screwdriver, a harmless non-lethal tool/deterrent,  is the perfect accessory for Doctor Who, a show that emphasizes the positive aspects of science fiction, intellect and romance, over brute force and cynicism. ³

Now, if the real-life sonic screwdriver is still a little too early in it’s development for you, do not be discouraged.  Travis Goodspeed has been working on an open source project called a GoodFET – referred to as a “the sonic screwdriver of reverse engineering.”  And, with a little 3D printing help, you can even create an awesome sonic screwdriver enclosure for it!

1. Aaaaaalllll-most! [↩]
2. Photo courtesy of Spielbrick Films [↩]
3. I’m sorry.  That video is just too catchy and too perfect a short synopsis of the show to not post. [↩]

The other day, after lamenting the lack of access to a 3D printer at work, I complained about the quality of my new keyboard’s itty-bitty feet.  Since I needed to elevate the back of a keyboard just a little bit more in the meantime, I put together this super quick hack out of office supplies.  By using two gel pens with grippy bits and taping them to the left and right sides of the keyboard I was able to achieve an instant elevatated keyboard with non-skid pads.

Of course, printed feet with sugru toes would be a far superior solution. 

Hey, if I posted the dimensions would someone be willing to create an STL of two small human feet for tricking out my keyboard?¹²³

1. There can’t be too many more of these feet-themed posts. [↩]
2. … [↩]
3. Or can there?! [↩]

The topic of improved feet has certainly been on my mind of late.  After a short time off from work, I came back today to find that my computer was swapped out for a new one.  While it is certainly nice to have a new keyboard, the little flip-out feet are woefully inadequate.  They have two settings – completely flush with the underside of the keyboard and an out position that raises the back of the keyboard by about 5mm.   Dealing with these nearly vestigial feet made me realize two important things:

First, it is amazing how much a little tiny piece of plastic can either make your life a lot easier or a lot more difficult.

Second, I really wish I kept a 3D printer at work.  It would only take me a few minutes to whip up a replacement part and rock on.