Surfacing from the lower board of the lower pier at the lower end of south street, the small barnacle caught a glint of sunshine in the green light of the misty afternoon. Low the tide had been for many a year, lower still on that fateful day. A day when barnacles touched the air and…
Reverse that Z-axis and cool the extruders. The print beds of the 3D Printing scene are amalgamating into a massive prosumer platform with two 3D Print manufacturers joining forces. Two weeks ago we reported on the rumored acquisition of MakerBot. Our first guess was Stratasys and although we thought that it was “highly unlikely that Bre would hand over his iconic 3D printing brand this early,” it turns out it was just the right time. Stratasys has announced the coming acquisition of MakerBot and merger of the two companies. Some see this as a slap in the face to the roots of DIY 3D printing, others are calling their stock portfolio manager and still others are wondering how exactly this could change 3D printing.
What does it take to design and build giant robots that fight each other to total destruction in four months? This week we had the chance to sit down and talk with robot designer Mark Setrakian about designing robots for the new SyFy tv show Robot Combat League. We’ll hear about what software he uses, how he prototypes, and does he actually have his own personal robot?
Once you get past the phase of trying to impress others by bending 1/2″ plywood in your new swimsuit, take the uncomfortable onlookers into an air-conditioned room and show them this fabulous chair. The Eira Chair is designed by Rafael Fernández, Product designer and co-owner of Oitenta, a two-man product design and development studio in Coruña, Spain. We at SolidSmack prefer the solid, industrial look of wood chairs to the cushy, multi-adjustable office chairs on most days. Plus, this chair just screams of DIY appeal that set us off looking for form our own bent plywood furniture. First, more detail on this fabulous piece from Oitenta.
It’s products like Sensorial Stimuli Tableware from Jinhyun Jeon that spark new conversations about re-interpreting the purpose and potential of everyday product designs. Does an office stapler really have to be hard and rectangular? Does a coffee mug really have to be cylindrical? For her MA thesis about the relationship of food and the senses, Jinhyun threw all preconceived notions of what tableware could be out the window…and created spoons and forks that not only act as a food-travel vessel, but also as an entirely new eating experience.