This was certainly one of the more interesting weeks in my OLTD adventure. What a huge array of items to look at. I really knew very little about 3D printing in the beginning. One of my favourite parts aside from the software, the hardware, all the potential applications, and the ethical aspects, was the conversations I was able to have with peers about their past lives with this technology. Apparently, this technology has been around for quite some time and others have seen it in action in their past professions.
I’ll begin with the software and technology associated with the printing. Throughout the week I spent several hours looking into various programs, downloading CAD programs that I either couldn’t figure out or lost on my new laptop. Somehow I completely missed the fact that I could use one of my old favourites - Google SketchUp. Suddenly I could be useful to my crew. I have been using SketchUp for several years with my students and can easily provide some basic training for our seminar participants.
One of the ‘Aha’ moments in our week was when Roger printed out a simple nut and bolt on the 3D printer and after a few minutes, Marieke, Laura and myself all realized how completely fascinated we were with this little piece of plastic. Honestly, we could not stop playing with it. It was an odd sensation. The continuing drama with this was the reaction assessed by Marieke the following day from Roger’s students was one of severe apathy. She noticed that they seemed completely used to the idea and thought that it was very matter-of-fact. This led us to wondering if ‘kids these days’ are just so used to a new technology every day, that perhaps little will impress them or surprise them. Perhaps we need a bit of perspective and background to appreciate these emerging ideas and technologies. Or..perhaps they're just kids and I’m reading too much into it.
Finally, another surprise for me was the lack of debate, that I came across anyway, on the ethics of the matter. Perhaps I have been too focused on the technical components but I am looking forward to seeing what others bring up in the matters of printing usable firearms and working human organs.
I have also been engaged in my creation of a 3D human bust, but more on that I will leave till our Monday night session:)
Andrew
I’ll begin with the software and technology associated with the printing. Throughout the week I spent several hours looking into various programs, downloading CAD programs that I either couldn’t figure out or lost on my new laptop. Somehow I completely missed the fact that I could use one of my old favourites - Google SketchUp. Suddenly I could be useful to my crew. I have been using SketchUp for several years with my students and can easily provide some basic training for our seminar participants.
One of the ‘Aha’ moments in our week was when Roger printed out a simple nut and bolt on the 3D printer and after a few minutes, Marieke, Laura and myself all realized how completely fascinated we were with this little piece of plastic. Honestly, we could not stop playing with it. It was an odd sensation. The continuing drama with this was the reaction assessed by Marieke the following day from Roger’s students was one of severe apathy. She noticed that they seemed completely used to the idea and thought that it was very matter-of-fact. This led us to wondering if ‘kids these days’ are just so used to a new technology every day, that perhaps little will impress them or surprise them. Perhaps we need a bit of perspective and background to appreciate these emerging ideas and technologies. Or..perhaps they're just kids and I’m reading too much into it.
Finally, another surprise for me was the lack of debate, that I came across anyway, on the ethics of the matter. Perhaps I have been too focused on the technical components but I am looking forward to seeing what others bring up in the matters of printing usable firearms and working human organs.
I have also been engaged in my creation of a 3D human bust, but more on that I will leave till our Monday night session:)
Andrew