True to form, The Economist has recently released an excellent technology research piece on recent innovations in touch screen technology.
Image courtesy of The Economist
Some of these innovations may even prove to finally be the way forward allowing us to achieve the sensitivity we need to make CAD a feasible tool for a tablet.
As a little bit of Christmas compassion just in time for the holidays, I present a story currently making the rounds about Derby, a Husky mix born with underdeveloped forepaws. On account of his deformity, he could not move about on anything other than smooth surfaces without injuring his lower body.
Thanks to 3D printing, 3D Systems‘ own Geomagic Sculpt software, and a little ingenuity from his owner, Derby now has two artificial forepaws which allow him to stand up and run for the first time in his life.
The full article can be found over at io9.com.
Hmmm… veterinary prosthetics. Now that’s an unusual specialty.
Yesterday 3D Systems announced the launch of their new Touch 3D haptic stylus and Geomagic Sculpt CAD software.
Best of all: the case study they’re using for the launch is a jeweller!
From the looks of things, it seems Geomagic has decided to learn from the pricing and marketing mistakes made by Claytools before they were bought out, and seems to be actually releasing the hardware for an accessible price this time (£2500 instead of £6000). But whether you love Claytools or hate them, they were still one of the only games in town for proper haptic sculpture– Anarkik3D’s Cloud9 has yet to match the same level of precision control, and the closest other sculpting tools would be non-haptic options such as the powerful but awkwardly designed Zbrush interface or Mudbox.
It’s still early days yet as to how good it really is, but no doubt we’ll know soon enough.
TCT Magazine – 3D Systems Launches Geomagic Sculpt and Touch 3D Stylus
Microsoft Research is working on an interesting project right now involving a touch screen which not only allows users to move objects on a screen, but also allows them to feel the resistance and “hardness” of an object.
The BBC has also written an article about it.
Could this be a step in the direction of the next generation of touch screen technology?
Printrbot’s stand at the 3D Printshow. Showing off just how inexpensive and portable RP machines can be.
This weekend I went to a wonderful open trade show highlighting the best of US and UK time compression technologies (that would be 3D scanning, Rapid Prototyping, and Bespoke CAD/CAM product design in English) called the 3D Printshow, held this year at the Brewery in London. Interestingly, I found out about this evert not through a trade magazine, but through the Evening Standard’s real estate section (of all places), under “bespoke furniture”.
That in and of itself points to something very interesting about this show which set it apart from every other trade show I’d ever seen about rapid prototyping—this was very much a family event. They not only allowed for families and children to come along, they explicitly encouraged it through both their website and many of the booths that were there. Continue reading
All of my professional CAD jewellery training and diploma courses are hosted at British Academy of Jewellery.
I also offer one-to-one master classes or private CAD instruction in most major jewellery CAD software packages.