Have you tried to touch and move something on a screen that isn’t touch-sensitive? As my computer-screen will attest, my kids try it ALL THE TIME – flipping through photos, tapping ‘OK’, spinning 3D models – can’t be done on my monitor yet. We’re in that transition, and if the research that a PhD student at Purdue University is working on makes it to the mainstream, it could be that one day, you (or your kids) are at another transition as you experience the futile attempts to create 3D geometry with the wave of your hand.
I feel privileged to tell you that, not only, do you look fabulous in that new summer jacket/defense system, you have also cause excess perspiration in 80% of the alien super race that was this close to completing their plan for world domination. Good thing you listen to the SolidSmack Cool Tool of Doom n’ Stuff. Have something cool you’ve come across? Don’t hide it in your neck skin! Send it on in to smoth@www.solidsmack.com. Kick it!
The iPhone 5. Weeks away, yet there’s sure to be someone already camping out in anticipation of launch day being announced. Well, you yourself don’t have to neglect your better senses quite yet, and can get your iPhone accessory-buying fix before news of the phone even hits the web waves. FurnLab just launched a new Kickstarterter project that gets you access to the first custom wood skin for the iPhone 5 and, well, they’re simply gorgeous.
So – you decided to attend Burning Man. And above the Mutant Cars and the becostumed attendees, you notice a quadcopter flying about, with what appears to be a figurine hanging underneath it. Just then, you hear an alarming sound coming from one of a becostumed woman – its coming from a device in her hands. As it moves, it becomes apparent that the Quadcopter is homing in on her. And as it hovers above, kicking up dust, she reaches up, plucks this figurine hanging from the copter, which immediately flies off. There is a noticeable silence for a second, then wild applause from the crowds. You approach, and realize that the figurine in the hands of this girl is, of herself. Incredulously, you ask – “Um…where did you get that….what … what is this?”. She points to a far-off dome and replies, “Go over there – they scan you and then give you a GPS when you leave – when the printing is done they send it to you.”
Looks like GrabCAD is putting their 4 million in funding to good use. They’ve been pushing out consistent updates on their website and Friday they announced that two new people had joined the growing roster at GrabCAD–Jon Stevenson (LinkedIn) and Grant Thomas-Lepore (LinkedIn) are now among the top tier of GrabCAD employees. Heard of them? Probably not. But their talents bring a lot of CAD and product development experience to the fledgling company. Some that is sure to turn some heads.
