3D Printing  

Did you know that 3D printing had already begun in the late 1980s? Back when people were still smoking on airplanes and the wreck of the Titanic had been found…it was a busy time. This means that we’re beginning to see the result of nearly 40 years of 3D printing research and progression, but what have we achieved so far?

Well, 3D printers aren’t just being used to formulate plastic and random anymore. Scientists are looking into how 3D printers can be used in the medical world to produce replacement organs, limbs or just about anything that could improve a patient’s quality of life.

Take 4-month-old Bentley Yoder for example, who needed to have part of his brain pushed back into his cranium because his skull hadn’t fully formed - it had begun to grow outside of the bone creating a huge growth on top of his head. This rare condition is called encephalocele, and affects around 1 in 10,000 babies each year - the cause is still unknown.

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According to Motherboard, Bentley didn’t have much of a chance at this stage but surgeon Dr. John Meara thought he would try using 3D technology as a solution. The 3D printers use MRI or CT scans to reconstruct a patient’s face, limb or other body part. In this instance, Dr Meara created a model of Bentley’s head to work out how he was going to tackle the problem. The 3D model also helps patients and parents see what the surgical procedure is going to look like, and gives them a clearer picture of what is actually possible.

After performing the intended procedure several times on 3D models of Bentley’s skull, Dr Meara was able to successfully carry out the procedure on baby Bentley and save around 90% of the brain tissue from the projection of his brain. Without 3D technology, Bentley was a ticking time bomb and his brain would have eventually ruptured which would have been fatal.

As well as health miracles like the Bentley success story, 3D technology is being researched as an option for restorative purposes for historical buildings too. All over the world there are famous landmarks that are growing older and need constant repairs which are both costly and require extremely skilled labourers and engineers that understand archaic architecture design, many of whom don’t exist anymore. However, with the help of 3D technology, we may be able to hold onto some original features for longer and create identical replacements.

With this in mind, printer ink supplier TonerGiant have put together an informative infographic which allows you to see how long it would take for an individual 3D printer to rebuild some of the world’s most famous landmarks - we’ve got some way to go yet!

SOURCE  Toner Giant

By  Debbie Fletcher

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Author Bio - Debbie Fletcher is an enthusiastic, experienced writer who has written for a range of different magazines and news publications over the years. Graduating from City University London specialising in English Literature, Debbie's passion for writing has since grown. She loves anything and everything technology, and exploring different cultures across the world. She's currently looking towards starting her Masters in Comparative Literature in the next few years.

3D Printing  

3D printers are exploding into the world thanks to the variety of really cool things they can do and ways they can help people. 3D printing has already come a long way and can utilize a variety of materials to create an item from an original blueprint.

Here are some of the coolest things that are currently able to be produced via 3D printing.

1. Medical Implants

Anything from airway stints to dental implants can now be created using 3D printing technology, and eventually it will likely make such implants much cheaper than they are now. This market is continuing to grow, and the devices created by 3D printers continue to be tested and approved for use.

2. Customized Portraits

Thanks to 3D scanning, customized portraits using your likeness can be created, such as 3D figures to put on top of wedding cakes or for other uses. It can also create funny or cool statues of yourself, a favorite character, or even Internet memes.

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3. Circuit Boards

Circuit boards can now easily be made with a 3D printer. Currently, they are most useful as prototypes or for experimental circuits, as they as not as vibration resistant as a soldered circuit board, but that may soon change.

4. Prosthetics

For people who have lost a body part, 3D printers are now able to print all kinds of prosthetics big and small, from noses and ears to arms and legs. They can be made from soft substances like silicone to mimic skin or harder plastics and metals like for prosthetic arms and legs. Cameras are being used to ensure the prosthetic looks and fits the patient correctly.

5. Pharmaceuticals

In 2015, Aprecia Pharmaceuticals became the first company to have a 3D-printed drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The drug is called Spritam (levetiracetam) and it helps with epilepsy. More types of drugs will likely follow, greatly reducing medication costs for many, many people.

6. Guitars

At least one company is already offering custom 3D-printed guitars that behave and sound like traditionally-made guitars. These guitars can be created to individual specifications and preferences and can easily be engraved with the name of your band, your name or any phrase you want.


3D printing technology will continue to have an impact on products and everyday life, and that impact will only get greater as the technology continues to improve and more reliable and diverse items are able to be created. Given what the technology is already capable of, it's anyone's guess what cool new things 3D printing is going to provide us in the near future.

By  Dixie Somers	Embed
Author Bio - Dixie is a freelance writer who loves to write about business, finance and self improvement. She lives in Arizona with her husband and three beautiful daughters.

Urban Development  

In city planning, emerging technologies, and several different techniques have been developed to create and represent an urban landscape in three dimensions. These new tools are opening up possibilities for a brighter, more efficient, sustainable and livable urban environment.

Mapping cities today is a rapidly changing activity, making use of the latest technology. Just a few years ago, it was enough to have your city charted on a folded piece of paper, making use of just two dimensions.

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Reality however, is the world  that exists in three dimensions, where roads go up and down, and hills and buildings have shapes, heights, volumes, and complex infrastructures. Today's urban planners have need of the latest mapping technology in order to understand, and analyze their cities, including in three dimensions.

3D applications for urban planning include features that help analyze building shadows, storm water runoff studies, and projected traffic patterns. Even everyday users can make us of tools like Google Daydream to simulate a walk through a plaza in Rome, or around the Taj Mahal.

In some applications, the 3D maps and the associated building models are no more than photorealistic
images of buildings within a geographic area and are, therefore, limited to providing users with the ability to picture how a specific section of a city looks. While this can be more than sufficient for simple visualizations it is inadequate for performing many types of 3D spatial analysis.

Today's cutting-edge 3D city map, complete with buildings and features of the urban landscape are now enabling the convergence of several established disciplines, including 3d scanning, computer-aided drafting (CAD), architectural building information management (BIM), and geographic information system (or GIS).

For example, a single 3D urban map can now contain detailed building specifications, representations of the physical and functional characteristics of a facility, all tied to a 3D geographic location. With this technology, the latest urban maps enable a high degree of understanding of the complete urban environment and facilitates.

With all of the possibilities available, there has never been a better time to pursue an advanced degree in GIS.

Obtaining an Advanced Online Degree

Going back to school to further your education can be a daunting challenge. While you probably already know exactly why you want to go back, it probably does not help to think about how much time and effort will be required of you. There might not be a way for you to eliminate how much work you have to put into this pursuit, but there are definitely methods that you can employ to make the process easier for you. Exploring your options with an online program, such as the kind offered by USC online, can be an amazing start.

There are tons of benefits that come along with pursuing your degree online. If you have reservations about this, then you might want to know a few specifics surrounding the idea. To help you along your way, here are a couple of key points that will help you to make the right decision for your future.

Scheduling Concerns

There are many reservations that you might have in regards to continuing your education. Your life is probably demanding enough as it is, and having to be present in a classroom for a certain amount of hours each week might not seem very appealing. Luckily, there are plenty of ways for you to get around this when it comes to online courses. Instead of having to be physically present on a campus, you can take all of your courses from the comfort of your own home.

This can make a huge difference in how you go about your pursuit of an advanced degree. When there is flexibility, you can take care of all of your personal obligations while still finding time to get the degree that you require for your future. Take a look at some of the amazing programs that are out there, then see which of these universities offer online classes. Finding the right program will require some time, but it will be well worth it for you in the end.

No Time Like the Present

While there is no rush to get your degree, there is also no time like the present to begin. The longer that you hesitate on this decision, the easier it will be for you to put it off. Most people want to go back to school, but will never actually take action with this thought. You do not want to let your future escape you, which means you need to dedicate time and effort to finding a program that will work for your future, and begin the application process right away.

When you are ready to expand your opportunities for the future, it can be a wonderful idea to take a look at what online courses can do for you. Put in the time and research the various programs that are out there. You are going to have a lot of possibilities in regards to institutions of higher learning, so use a discerning eye and come to a conclusion that will be able to satisfy your intellectual pursuits. With enough dedication, you will be able to discover a program that will have the right flexibility, and you will get that degree that you deserve so much.

By  33rd Square

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3D Scanning  

Microsoft is developing new real-time 3D scanning capabilities that could mean you could attend a concert or sporting event live in full 3D, or even have the ability to communicate in real-time with remotely captured people using immersive augmented reality or virtual reality displays in the future.

Researchers at Microsoft have created a system that could be the prototype for a next-generation Kinect camera. Called Fusion4D, the project, the scanning system impressively reconstructs complex 3D scenes digitally, including those with more than one person, animals and can even capture clothing being put on the actor.

The researchers have detailed their work in a paper published online.

Fusion4D is the first real-time multi-view non-rigid reconstruction system for live performance capture, claim the researchers. "We have contributed a new pipeline for live multi-view performance capture, generating high-quality reconstructions in real-time, with several unique capabilities over prior work," they conclude.

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Today, most cameras and 3D scanners like the Kinect Sensor, used for motion capture still focus on static, non-moving, scenes. This is due to limitations in computational power and the demands on software to reconstruct scenes. 

For more complex scenes, with moving cameras and many elements, the computer must solve for orders of magnitude more parameters in real-time. This typically results in noisy or missing data, choppy motion and digital artifacts in the output that are not representative of what is being captured in the real world.

"Our reconstruction algorithm enables both incremental reconstruction, improving the surface estimation over time, as well as parameterizing the nonrigid scene motion."

Microsoft's research team also dealt with the case of changing scene topology, such as person removing a jacket or scarf.

The implications of the research are vast. For instance, it could lead to new real-time experiences such as the ability to watch a remote concert or sporting event live in full 3D, or even the ability to communicate in real-time with remotely captured people using immersive augmented reality or virtual reality displays.

The applications could also extend to robotics and machine vision.

With Microsoft's HoloLens system reaching wider deployment now, this last case could lead to some very interesting possibilities.

"As shown, our reconstruction algorithm enables both incremental reconstruction, improving the surface estimation over time, as well as parameterizing the nonrigid scene motion," write the authors."We also demonstrated how our approach robustly handles both large frame-to-frame motion and topology changes. This was achieved using a novel real-time solver, correspondence algorithm, and fusion method."

"We believe our work can enable new types of live performance capture experiences, such as broadcasting live events including sports and concerts in 3D, and also the ability to capture humans live and have them re-rendered in other geographic locations to enable high fidelity immersive telepresence."

SOURCE  Microsoft Research

By 33rd Square

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Holograms  

Holoportation is a new type of 3D capture technology that allows high-quality 3D models of people to be reconstructed, compressed and transmitted anywhere in the world in real time. Don't miss the video of this incredible demo from Microsoft.

Microsoft has already offered a few tantalizing glimpses at its Hololens technology, and the latest really shows off just how useful and natural the device might be for telepresence applications.

In the video below, Microsoft research manager Shahram Izadi demonstrated ‘holoportation,’ which allows him  and the people he talks with to appear as if he’s there in real-time, anywhere in the world.

Holoportation is a new type of 3D capture technology from Microsoft that allows high-quality 3D models of people to be reconstructed, compressed and transmitted anywhere in the world in real time.

Used with augmented reality displays like the HoloLens, this technology allows users to see, hear, and interact with remote participants in 3D as if they are actually present in the same physical space. Communicating and interacting with remote users becomes as natural as face-to-face communication.

The sessions can even be played back previous as though “walking into a living memory,” and miniaturize the content to make it easier to consume. Perhaps even cooler is when Izadi decides to shrink himself and his daughter down with a gesture. These are the computer interactions we have only seen in movies!

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Microsoft was clever to set up the two capture facilities with the same dimensions and furniture, so that the participants interact with the virtual and the physical quite seamlessly in this demonstration. They walk around tables, not through them, and objects can be picked up and manipulated. When one participant sits down, it really looks like they have sat in the room with Izadi.

“Imagine being able to virtually teleport from one place to another,” Izadi says. Well, if you’re the owner of a HoloLens, you soon could do.

So far there is little information when the Holoportation system might be available, but it does show that "Help me Obi Wan Kenobi, your my only hope," is not far away from being yet another technology that jumps into reality from the science fiction screen.

SOURCE  Microsoft Research

By 33rd Square

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Cosmology  

The idea that a universe with gravity can be described by a quantum field theory in fewer dimensions, the 'holographic principle,' has been used for years as a mathematical tool in strange curved spaces. New results suggest that the holographic principle also holds in flat spaces. Our own universe could in fact be two dimensional and only appear to be three dimensional.

When we experience the world, there isn't much doubt that the universe appears three dimensional. But one of the most fruitful theories of theoretical physics in the last two decades is challenging this assumption.

The "holographic principle” asserts that a mathematical description of the universe actually requires one fewer dimension than it seems. What we perceive as three dimensional may just be the image of two dimensional processes on a huge cosmic horizon.

Up until now, this principle has only been studied in exotic spaces with negative curvature. This is interesting from a theoretical point of view, but such spaces are quite different from the space in our own universe. Now, results obtained by scientists at TU Wien (Vienna) suggest that the holographic principle even holds in a flat spacetime.

Everybody knows holograms from credit cards or banknotes. They are two dimensional, but to us they appear three dimensional. Our universe could behave quite similarly: “In 1997, the physicist Juan Maldacena proposed the idea that there is a correspondence between gravitational theories in curved anti-de-sitter spaces on the one hand and quantum field theories in spaces with one fewer dimension on the other”, says TU Wien's Daniel Grumiller.

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Gravitational phenomena are described in a theory with three spatial dimensions, the behaviour of quantum particles is calculated in a theory with just two spatial dimensions – and the results of both calculations can be mapped onto each other. Such a correspondence is quite surprising. It is like finding out that equations from an astronomy textbook can also be used to repair a CD-player. But this method has proven to be very successful. More than ten thousand scientific papers about Maldacena’s “AdS-CFT-correspondence” have been published to date.

For theoretical physics, this is extremely important, but it does not seem to have much to do with our own universe. Apparently, we do not live in such an anti-de-sitter-space. These spaces have quite peculiar properties. They are negatively curved, any object thrown away on a straight line will eventually return. “Our universe, in contrast, is quite flat – and on astronomic distances, it has positive curvature”, says Grumiller.

However, Grumiller has suspected for quite some time that a correspondence principle could also hold true for our real universe. To test this hypothesis, gravitational theories have to be constructed, which do not require exotic anti-de-sitter spaces, but live in a flat space. For three years, he and his team have been working on that, in cooperation with the University of Edinburgh, Harvard, IISER Pune, the MIT and the University of Kyoto. Now Grumiller and colleagues from India and Japan have published an article in the journal Physical Review Letters, confirming the validity of the correspondence principle in a flat universe.

"If quantum gravity in a flat space allows for a holographic description by a standard quantum theory, then there must by physical quantities, which can be calculated in both theories – and the results must agree."

“If quantum gravity in a flat space allows for a holographic description by a standard quantum theory, then there must by physical quantities, which can be calculated in both theories – and the results must agree”, says Grumiller. Especially one key feature of quantum mechanics –quantum entanglement – has to appear in the gravitational theory.

When quantum particles are entangled, they cannot be described individually. They form a single quantum object, even if they are located far apart. There is a measure for the amount of entanglement in a quantum system, called “entropy of entanglement”. Together with Arjun Bagchi, Rudranil Basu and Max Riegler, Grumiller managed to show that this entropy of entanglement takes the same value in flat quantum gravity and in a low dimension quantum field theory.

“This calculation affirms our assumption that the holographic principle can also be realized in flat spaces. It is evidence for the validity of this correspondence in our universe”, says Max Riegler (TU Wien). “The fact that we can even talk about quantum information and entropy of entanglement in a theory of gravity is astounding in itself, and would hardly have been imaginable only a few years back. That we are now able to use this as a tool to test the validity of the holographic principle, and that this test works out, is quite remarkable”, says Grumiller.

This work doesn't prove that we are indeed living in a hologram – but apparently there is growing evidence for the validity of the correspondence principle in our own universe.


SOURCE  TU Wien (Vienna)

By 33rd Square

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 Nanotechnology  

Researchers have developed a new lithography technique that uses nanoscale spheres to create 3D structures with biomedical, electronic and photonic applications. The new technique is less expensive than conventional methods and does not rely on stacking two-dimensional patterns to create 3D structures.

Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a new lithography technique that uses nanoscale spheres to create three-dimensional structures with biomedical, electronic and photonic applications. The new technique is significantly less expensive than conventional methods and does not rely on stacking two-dimensional patterns to create the 3D structures.

The paper, “Sculpting Asymmetric Hollow-Core Three-Dimensional Nanostructures Using Colloidal Particles,” was published in the journal Small.

“Our approach reduces the cost of nanolithography to the point where it could be done in your garage,” says Dr. Chih-Hao Chang, an assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at NC State and senior author of a paper on the work.

Most conventional lithography uses a variety of techniques to focus light on a photosensitive film to create 2D patterns. These techniques rely on specialized lenses, electron beams or lasers – all of which are extremely expensive. Other conventional techniques use mechanical probes, which are also costly. To create 3D structures, the 2D patterns are essentially printed on top of each other.

"Our approach reduces the cost of nanolithography to the point where it could be done in your garage."

The NC State researchers took a different approach, placing nanoscale polystyrene spheres on the surface of the photosensitive film. Polystyrene is widely used in foam packaging, insulation and a variety of other industries.

The nanospheres are transparent, but bend and scatter the light that passes through them in predictable ways according to the angle that the light takes when it hits the nanosphere. The researchers control the nanolithography by altering the size of the nanosphere, the duration of light exposures, and the angle, wavelength and polarization of light. The researchers can also use one beam of light, or multiple beams of light, allowing them to create a wide variety of nanostructure designs.

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“We are using the nanosphere to shape the pattern of light, which gives us the ability to shape the resulting nanostructure in three dimensions without using the expensive equipment required by conventional techniques,” Chang says. “And it allows us to create 3D structures all at once, without having to make layer after layer of 2D patterns.”

The researchers have also shown that they can get the nanospheres to self-assemble in a regularly-spaced array, which in turn can be used to create a uniform pattern of 3D nanostructures.

“This could be used to create an array of nanoneedles for use in drug delivery or other applications,” says Xu Zhang, a Ph.D. student in Chang’s lab and lead author of the paper.

The new technique could also be used to create nanoscale “inkjet printers” for printing electronics or biological cells, or to create antennas or photonic components.

“For this work, we focused on creating nanostructures using photosensitive polymers, which are commonly used in lithography,” Zhang says. “But the technique could also be used to create templates for 3D structures using other materials.”

The researchers are currently looking at several additional ways to manipulate the technique to control the shape of resulting structures.

“We’re exploring the use of nanosphere materials other than polystyrene, as well as nanoparticle shapes other than spheres,” Chang says. “And ultimately we want to look at ways of controlling the placement of particles on the photosensitive film in patterns other than uniform arrays.”


SOURCE  NC State University

By 33rd Square

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 Interfaces  

Working with ultrasound, researchers have developed a new method of haptic feedback. The approach lets users feel invisible holograms in mid-air.

You wont have to imagine what it would be like to touch a priceless artifact in a musuem, or a character from a video game, or your in-progress CAD file, or an organ scanned from your own body in the future.  Researchers have developed a prototype method for creating three-dimensional haptic shapes in mid-air using focused ultrasound. The potential applications for the technology are nearly limitless, and will help define how we interact with digital media in a few years.

Unlike another method that used puffs of air, the approach applies the principles of acoustic radiation force, whereby the non-linear effects of sound produce forces on the skin which are strong enough to generate tactile sensations.

This mid-air haptic feedback eliminates the need for any attachment of actuators or contact with physical devices.

The user perceives a discernible haptic shape when the corresponding acoustic interference pattern is generated above a precisely controlled two-dimensional phased array of ultrasound transducers.

"Touchable holograms, immersive virtual reality that you can feel and complex touchable controls in free space, are all possible ways of using this system."

The research published in ACM Transactions on Graphics, was led by Dr Ben Long and colleagues Professor Sriram Subramanian, Sue Ann Seah and Tom Carter from the University of Bristol’s Department of Computer Science, could change the way 3D shapes are used.  The new technology could enable surgeons to explore a CT scan by enabling them to feel a disease, such as a tumor, or bones from an X-, using haptic feedback.

The method uses ultrasound, which is focused onto hands above the device and that can be felt. By focusing complex patterns of ultrasound, the air disturbances can be felt as floating 3D shapes.

To demonstrate the effect of the system visually, the researchers have demonstrated the ultrasound patterns by directing the device at a thin layer of oil so that the depressions in the surface can be seen as spots when lit by a lamp.

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The system generates an invisible 3D shape that can be added to 3D displays to create something that can be seen and felt. The research team have also shown that users can match a picture of a 3D shape to the shape created by the system.

Long, said, “Touchable holograms, immersive virtual reality that you can feel and complex touchable controls in free space, are all possible ways of using this system.

“In the future, people could feel holograms of objects that would not otherwise be touchable, such as feeling the differences between materials in a CT scan or understanding the shapes of artefacts in a museum.”


SOURCE  University of Bristol

By 33rd Square

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 Virtual Reality  

Tilt Brush is a new painting application for Oculus Rift created by Skillman & Hackett, a San Francisco interactive design studio that lets you create art in virtual reality.

Tilt Brush is a new virtual reality tool that lets users paint in three dimensions. The software was created for the Oculus Rift that lets you paint in virtual reality.

"We're going to support as many platforms as we can, but we're a small team so we'll likely be limited to those that can reach the most users."

Tilt Brush takes advantage of VR's unique characteristics by allowing users to create beautiful three-dimensional paintings using virtual paint, smoke, stars, and light.

In order to paint in all dimensions, Tilt Brush lets users rotate, flip, and re-position a grid that operates as a stationary plane in space.

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For example, if you wanted to paint the ground of a landscape, you would adjust the grid to be parallel with the virtual ground; if you then wanted to paint a building, you would simply rotate the plane 90 degrees.

When you're finished with your virtual creation, Tilt Brush will let you export it to a GIF graphic.

Tilt Brush was created by San Francisco design studio Skillman & Hackett. The software was nominated for four Proto Awards including Best Interaction Design, Most Innovative, and Best Overall Virtual Reality Application. Winner of Best GUI. Some of the firm's other virtual reality work is showcased in the video below.

"We're going to support as many platforms as we can, but we're a small team so we'll likely be limited to those that can reach the most users," Patrick Hackett told The Verge. "If the hardware manufacturers are listening, though, we're very interested in the headsets that support pass through video. Hint hint."

We have to wait for the consumer edition of the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset in order to try Tilt Brush.




SOURCE  The Verge

By 33rd Square

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 3D Printing  

The Dremel 3D Idea Builder was announced today at MakerCon in New York City, the first 3D printer to be released by a major tool manufacturer. With initial sales being handled by traditional tool-sales outlets Home Depot, Amazon, and Canadian Tire, it promises to help expose 3D printing to a new range of users.

We may be at the beginning of an explosion of sales for consumer 3D printers. Incredible price drops within the industry are helping to make 3D printing affordable, not only for businesses, but for hobbyists and general use as well.

Now a subsidiary of Bosch, a $43 billion global company, has entered the 3D printing market in a big way. Dremel, makers of the popular hobby hand tools has now released a 3D printer called the Dremel 3D Idea Builder along with the foundations for a new 3D user community.

"Makers have been using Dremel tools to make three-dimensional creations with cutting tools for generations. Today, makers are using Dremel tools to fine-tune and fix their 3D printed creations and have been asking us to introduce a 3D printer."

Dremel was founded over 80 years ago in Racine, Wisconsin.

“Dremel 3D will enable people to take 3D printing to new levels, from imaginative projects for the home, to inventive projects that may impact the world,” said John Kavanagh, president of Dremel in a press release. “Makers have been using Dremel tools to make three-dimensional creations with cutting tools for generations. Today, makers are using Dremel tools to fine-tune and fix their 3D printed creations and have been asking us to introduce a 3D printer.”

The machine is actually a rebranded and revamped version of the Flashforge Dreamer, a printer manufactured by Chinese technology company Zhejiang Flashforge 3D Technology Co., Ltd.

Here are some of the basic specifications of the Dremel 3D Idea Builder:

• -Build Envelope: 9” x 5.9” x 5.5” / 230 mm x 150 mm x 140 mmdrem2
• -Printer Weight: 19 pounds 8 oz (8.845 kg)
• -Printer Size: 15.7 inches(400 mm) x 19.1 inches(485 mm) x 13.2 inches(335 mm)
• -Extruder: Single extrusion
• -Extruder temperature: Up to 230°C /397°F
• -User Interface: 3.5” full color IPS touch screen
• -Layer Thickness: 0.004 inches 100 microns
• -SD Card: Up to 32GB in size /3D20 will not work with SD cards larger than 32GB
• -Internal Storage: 4GB (Allows for storing models and printing them without a computer connection)

The 3D desktop printing space is getting crowded, however, Dremel, with its name recognition, marketing power and budget, could very well enter the market with a bang. The company seems to be concentrating on making 3D printing easy for everyone, by incorporating an entire ecosystem which includes free models, tutorials, and design tools to make the process as care-free, and simple as possible.

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According to the company, they have entered a strategic partnership with CAD software giant Autodesk, allowing them to provide free print-ready models to their users.

“This is just the beginning for us,” said Kavanagh. “The Dremel 3D model portfolio will continue to grow with the help of Autodesk® 123D® apps and the models we will curate from our community. Additionally, we’ll be offering an increased number of customizers on our site that will further empower people to develop and personalize projects of their own. Long-term, the partnership with Autodesk will allow us to bring together hardware and software to better address the needs of our community. We’re excited to be an early partner with Autodesk in using Spark, the open platform to better connect digital content and the hardware.”

Dremel will also be offering their world-class product support and mentorship via the Dremel Experts, a service which is sure to be an asset to those just starting out within the 3D printing space. Pre-orders for the machine will start September 18, exclusively on Amazon.com and homedepot.com, and the machine will be available in the US and Canada for an MSRP of $999.




SOURCE  3DPrint.com

By 33rd Square

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 Medicine  

In the medical industry, surgeons now have access to better imaging, and more advanced surgical tools to help them “navigate” the human body. If you have upcoming surgery, your doctor may be using this technology.

Operating rooms across the country are abuzz with advanced navigation technology, which enables surgeons to operate with greater precision and safety. By integrating the use of technology into the medical industry, surgeons now have access to better imaging, and more advanced surgical tools to help them “navigate” the human body. If you have upcoming surgery, your doctor may be using this technology to give you a most successful outcome. Here are some of the latest headliners:

SPINE SURGERY

The StealthStation Navigation System

Injury to the spinal cord during spine surgery can result in symptoms ranging from tingling to pain to paralysis. With the StealthStation® Surgical Navigation System, doctors can safely move through the body and avoid injury to the spinal cord and nerves. StealthStation works with an advanced imaging system called the O-arm® Intra-operative Imaging System, which gives a 3D view of a surgical site. This technology reduces the likelihood of repeat surgeries and often results in smaller incisions, faster recovery, and better outcomes. StealthStation acts like a GPS that enables doctors to see the exact location of their instruments during surgery. Using the imaging and navigating systems together allows surgeons to carefully monitor every phase of surgery and prevent nerve damage.

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KNEE SURGERY

The iMNS Medacta Navigation System

The iMNS Medacta Navigation System is a device used for computer-aided navigation during knee joint replacement surgery. It enables a surgeon to more accurately restore the proper alignment of the artificial knee. The iMNS Medacta Navigation System uses markers that are secured to a patient's bones. This enables a surgeon to locate bony landmarks to re-align the upper leg, knee, and ankle. The navigation system also guides the surgeon with the placement of instruments and knee hardware. The improved accuracy results in reduced blood loss, decreased postoperative pain, and fewer complications. It also shortens the duration of surgery and recovery time.

CARDIAC SURGERY

The CARTO XP EP Navigation System

Mapping the heart is a technique used to diagnose and treat an irregular heartbeat, termed a cardiac arrhythmia. An arrhythmia prevents the heart from effectively pumping blood. As a result, a person may feel faint, weak, and short of breath. To correct an arrhythmia, a surgeon performs radiofrequency ablation. In this procedure, the doctor introduces a flexible, thin tube, called a catheter, into the heart muscle. Then, radiofrequency energy, akin to microwave heat, is administered to the heart cells causing the arrhythmia. The cells die and stop conducting the impulses that triggered the arrhythmia.

According to professionals who specialize in catheter manufacturing, the CARTO XP EP Navigation System enables a surgeon to clearly see the position and orientation of the catheter within the heart. The system creates a 3D image of the cardiac chambers and provides facilitated catheter navigation to the site of arrhythmia. With a clear field of view, a surgeon can effectively target the faulty heart cells and stop the arrhythmia.

SHOULDER SURGERY

The NaviPro® Shoulder Navigation System

The NaviPro® Shoulder Navigation System provides computer-aided navigation of surgical instruments. It is used in shoulder arthroplasty, which is a procedure used to treat an arthritic shoulder. Arthroplasty can relieve arthritic symptoms in two ways: releasing restrictive tissues responsible for pain and limited movement, and replacing bony components of the shoulder joint. Successful arthroplasty depends on correct alignment of the ball and socket of the shoulder joint. Incorrect orientation can result in joint instability and injury.

NaviPro® Shoulder Navigation System involves the attachment of "optical trackers" to the ball and socket bones. The trackers link the patient to the NaviPro® computer. The navigation system measures and records the position and diameters of the bones. It also tracks the location of instruments used during surgery. Successful treatment of arthritis using NaviPro® results in decreased shoulder pain, improved shoulder movement, and facilitated function.

BENEFITS OF MEDICAL NAVIGATION TECHNOLOGY

There are numerous benefits of using medical navigation technology that both doctors and patients can now enjoy. Among its many benefits, this technology:

• -Enables surgeons to align a patient’s bones and joint implants with a degree of accuracy not possible with the naked eye.

• -Provides accurate documentation of data that is vital for a successful outcome.

• -Offers visual feedback at each stage of surgery, which enables a surgeon to alter his plan as needed.

• -Safer than fluoroscopy, which has been the conventional means of imaging during surgery. Fluoroscopy involves the use of x-rays and exposure to radiation, which can result in tissue burns and cancer.

Medical Navigation Systems are fast becoming integral components of surgeries. Your successful surgical outcome can be the result of using these advanced computer systems, and the integration of technology into the healthcare industry. As impressive as this technology is, there is definitely more to come—who knows what wonders the future of medicine will hold? The information for this article was provided by healthcare professionals who specialize in assembly of marker band catheters, and other catheter equipment.

By Dixie Somers

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