Printing 3D Objects

Seeing what you wish for materialize in front of your eyes like you never had before is what 3D printing gives us. 3D printing means almost anything you can design with a computer, you can turn into an actual physical object that you can hold.

In June of 2011 an 83-year-old Belgium woman had reconstructive surgery on her jaw. The interesting thing about the surgery is that it was not an ordinary surgery. Her jaw was made of what we used to think could be impossible. The woman’s jaw was created in a few hours from a 3D printer. Traditional reconstructive surgery takes up to 20 hours and the patient will normally have to stay up to four weeks in the hospital. The Belgium woman went through four hours of operation and was able to go home after four days. Her lower jaw was badly infected and needed to be removed but with the 3D printer it became the first custom-made implant. It was created by taking a detailed scan of her jaw bone, and then an exact duplicate was made from the scan on a 3D printer using lasers to fuse together titanium powder by heat. The jaw was then coated in a bioceramic coating to make it compatible with her tissue.

The German 3D printer manufacturer, EOS, is able to create metal objects as strong as cast parts and as often as artificial parts. Majority of their printers are sold for production manufacturing. Using the EOS 3D printer, around 450 individual dental crowns and bridges were built using metal alloy cobalt-chrome.

A file-sharing company, The Pirate Bay introduced “Physibles”. Physibles is a new content category which is designed to allow the pass of physical objects to one another via the Internet. The term refers to data files that are actually able to become physical objects via 3D printing technology. A company called Made in Space is working to help astronauts print out parts such as wrenches and nails for spacecraft and space stations while in orbit. Several 3D printers come with a camera used to take pictures of an object from multiple sides and then have a computer turn this into a 3D model that can be printed.

Australian designer Andrew Simpson of Vert Design, Shapeways, printed a 3D handset for iPhones. New York-based Shapeways operates where buyer’s can purchase personalized objects or upload their own deigns. This service started by printing hobbyist objects but now is used to create commercial objects, such as customized Smartphone cases. Objects are able to be printed in materials, such as sterling silver at a fraction of the cost of other processes.

A few affordable 3D printers are Makerbot, which offers a kit that you can put together yourself and Cube, which includes a user-friendly design and operation. Cube is accompanied by an online service used to order remote printing of objects and delivery to those who do not own the printer yet. An older and cheaper 3D printer is the RepRap. This can be used to manufacture components necessary to build another RepRap. The design and software of the RepRap is an open source giving the potential for anyone to modify it and improve the version.

 If people can print from home there will not be a need for the manufacturing industry as much so with 3D printing on the rise this raises much concern for existing manufacturing businesses. Another concern is taking unknowingly or willing violating on someone’s patent. With the over going improvement on 3D printing it seems this will be more common in a few years. We would not even have to be in this world to manufacture our own designs. 

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Video Gaming May Delay Alzheimer's

For all of those who believe playing video games will turn your brain into mush think again. A new study from the Archives of Neurology says playing brain stimulating games can improve your memory and delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. In the study, scientist researched 65 healthier older individuals around 76yrs, 10 patients with Alzheimer disease around 74yrs and 11 younger individuals around the age of 24yrs over the span of 5 years. In their study they found that many games requiring focus including Angry Birds, give the brain healthy workouts. Playing games, reading and writing all slow the growth of the brain protein amyloid that some think might be the cause of the memory loss disease, Alzheimer. A few good brain stimulators are Lumosity; Brain Trainer, and Android Apps by Brain Gaming. This old Prospector loves Scrabble so bring it on grandma!

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Verizon + Coinstar's Redbox = $$$

How people are watching movies has changed dramatically from rental stores, renting through the mail, and now the majority are watching through video streaming. Seeing the potential in the video streaming market Verizon has decided to join forces with Coinstar’s Redbox to compete against Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu Plus. Verizon has already begun offering internet video features through its FiOS Television services which include 100% fiber-optic reliability, 130+ HD channels, and access to over 25,000 On Demand titles per month. As stated on their website, Customers can get over 2,500 Flex View titles available on TV, PC, Web or on their Smartphones. This new partnership has not revealed its service details other than customers will be able to access the streaming content on devices such as their FiOS service including tablets and plan to see this new business adventure later on in the year. Verizon and Coinstar’s partnership will be offered to anyone in the U.S. You do not have to have an existing FiOS TV service or Verizon-operated broadband. Coinstar Redbox’s rental kiosks will still be available for those who prefer picking up a DVD. Netflix success was due to its easy user service and recommendation of TV shows and movies based on its subscribers viewing history. Netflix has leaned a lot of importance to instant-view streaming from its mailed DVD rental service but took a hit after prices for some users were increased and by launching a rebrand of its DVD-only service called Quikster. At the end of 2011 Netfilx had around 24 million subscribers while Verizon only had 4.2 million FiOS TV customers. Hopefully for Verizons partnership with Coinstar Redbox will help them over come the video rental giant Netflix. 

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Super Bowl Gadgets

It’s that time again for all football fans! Super Bowl XLVI is here and if you are deciding on throwing a super bowl party or going to one, here are some necessities to kick your party off right. Some people are only into the game and some just want to talk, so setting up separate televisions for everyone to view would be a great idea. For the first time in history the super bowl is going to be streamed live to computers and mobile devices, the only catch is you have to access the NFL Mobile app on a Verizon phone. So running late will be okay because you can still catch it at home on the net or on your phone while you are getting ready.

For the kids at the party who don’t want to join in the game there is something you can set up for them as well. Try arranging a video gaming setup in another area or physical activities for them to enjoy, such as throwing a football around in the yard. A perfect football for them could be the “Virtual Distance Football”. When thrown the distance is calculated by using sensors to detect when the ball is released to the impact of a catch or fumble.
At the party there needs to be plenty of drinks for everyone. “Maragritaville Party Cooler” can chill 40 12 ounce bottles along side a 4-liter bonus tank.
The snacks are a must and some like to eat all day long. Chips, buffalo wings, meat and vegetable trays and cheese spreads can be around, but if you are looking for some BBQ here is a gadget grill for you: “Grill-N-Chill”.

“Grill-N-Chill” combines the geek and the sports together. It is a stainless steel, 24,000 BTU, with 20,000 port ceramic infrared burners, and a total of 473 Sq. inches of cooking area. A 180 watt JBL marine stereo AM/FM tuner and a CD player with speakers are included along with 12-volt battery connectors. That’s not all, don’t forget about the Chill in the Grill, this includes a 60 quart insulated cooler with a drain. If you want to bring the grill to the party the Grill-N-Chill has a complete automotive hook-up and the ability to act as your indicator and brake lights when mounted on your vehicle. What more can you ask from your grill?

There are also a few games you could play while watching the big game. Have fun with the commercials! Give your guests a list of celebrities set to appear in the commercials and award a prize to whoever identifies the celebrity first, or whoever identifies the most on their list. Rating the commercials from a scale 1-5 from a selection of the most talked about commercials to premier during the game. Tally up the scores and declare a winning commercial. There are several drinking games you could play but we will leave that up to you. Super bowl is over and everyone has left, you realize there is a huge aftermath of the big game. Never fear the “IroBot Roomba Vacuum” is here to save the day, destroying dirt wherever it may lay! So go have fun with these cool gadgets and ideas and make your Super Bowl party history.
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Electronic Tattoos

Tattoos have been around since the early BC and are still being practiced in several cultures around the world. There are professional, amateur, and cosmetic tattoos. Tattoos have become part of fashion in both sexes, in all economic classes, and to all age groups. In 2011, the Barbie doll was even sold having tattoos. Now we can add one more to the category… electronic tattoos!

The University of Pennsylvania researchers are developing LED tattoos. The silicon-and-silk implantable devices sit under the skin like tattoos but do not last forever. These LED tattoos are already implanted into mice with the silk keeping them in place, molding to the shape of the mice skin and turning it into a screen. Since they mold to the skin they can move elastically with the body. These “tattoos” eventually dissolve away inside the body leaving the electronics behind. The LED tattoos are around the length of a small grain of rice. The idea for these LED tattoos is to be hooked up to any electronic device including the inside of the body. You will be able to sensor blood-sugars and show their readouts on the skin itself. If this kind of ‘tattoo” can be hooked up to the nervous system it may be able to control a prosthetic limb.

Electronic tattoos could be used to prevent or monitor functions in real-time. These devices could detect brainwave activity and respond to the electrical abnormalities. These electronic tattoos would be useful for premature babies, could monitor them noninvasive and would be mechanically invisible. These devices can be used to diagnose or provide care to any type of patient. Possibilities could be endless. 

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Recycled Water

Water is a precious resource. We should all show our love more often by recycling it. Water recycling is a social, environmental and economical solution in making the most of our water resource more efficient.

Here are a few ways you can help by recycling your water: get rain collection barrels or a bucket and place them out in the yard to collect water when it rains. The stored rain water can be used for feeding livestock and watering the garden. Using rain water is great because it is free of chemicals.

When watering flower pots, put something under them to catch the water drainage and then re-use it to water your garden.

Water you use to clean the dishes can be reused in the toilet bowl for flushing or it can be used to water household plants, cleaning floors, sinks and toilets.

If you would like to reduce the grease in the water, add a drop or two of dish soap or baby shampoo to the water. The water used to cook vegetables or pasta can go into the compost pile when it becomes cooled.

Not that many people have time to wash their laundry by hand but doing it will cut down on water and energy consumption.

Everyone has heard that less water is used when taking a shower rather than a bath. A 5 minute shower will use between 7 and 8 gallons of water and you will lose it down the drain, however, you can reuse all of your bath water.

If you decide to take a shower, put a bucket in the shower to collect the cooler water when allowing the water to warm up. You can use either bath or shower water to mop floors, clean tiles, wash dirty walls, poor into outdoor tree wells, or water the lawn. Soapy water will not hurt your lawn so go ahead and throw it on your grass.

While washing your car, turn off the hose in between the wash and rinse. Even better, wash your car in a location where the water runs off in the lawn.

If you own your own home a gray-water recycling system is the way to go. The system filers the used household water from sinks, showers and washing machines. It saves hundreds of gallons of fresh water. The Gray water can be used outdoors for watering lawns, shrubs and gardens.

Here are a few examples how companies are trying to be more efficient. Rides and attraction parks use recycled water here in San Antonio. SeaWorld, for example, uses water recycling systems. Golf courses are trying to use effluent water to do their part. One golf course started banking water in the colder seasons to enable them to water their fairways not just their tee boxes and greens in the warmer seasons.

A town in Texas last year considered recycling their toilet water for its residents. They were taking treated effluent water and blending it with supplied potable water. NASA has a system which filters urine directly to salvage water.

The toilet aboard the U.S. segment of the International Space Station includes a tank that collects and filters urine, and has a well-monitored process to recover water in urine for drinking, cooking, cleaning and other uses.

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Collapsible Itty Bitty Car

Having the opportunity of folding your car up like a chair to gain space is finally here! As seen on TV… nope actually you may see this electrical tiny car soon on your street. Hiriko which means “urban car” is a compact car that can literally fold up. Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers have developed an electric car for the crowded cities of the world. The vehicle is powered by a single electric engine and the wheels can rotate 360 degrees, the steering wheel will be replaced by a joystick steering device that pulls at your fingers to suggest steering moves when in need to do so by the on-board navigation system. The driver and passenger will enter the vehicle thru the single, flip-up door in the front of the car that also acts as the windshield when lifted like a garage door. Hiriko when folded reduces its length to 60 inches in other words you can fit three into a parking space meant for a single car. This two seated compact car can go about 75 miles on a full charge and reach up to speeds over 50 mph. Hiriko’s manufacturers hope people rent out the itty bitty car either hourly or on a daily basis. Test vehicles have already hit production and you should see them later this year in cities such in Spain, Sweden and our very own Boston. 

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