In REVIEWS

KeyShot 2.0. All the Raw, Realtime Render Speed You Can Squeeze [Review]

11 Mins Read

You know the comments you keep hearing? No, not the ones about how you look in tight pants. The ones about how good the product you design would look if you only had a good rendering. Once upon a time, a simple rendering seemed impossible. No more.

Over the past few years, creating amazing renderings without paying exorbitant amounts of time and cash has gotten easier than getting into a pair of those form-fitting leg lockers. It’s been whittled down to opening a file and dropping materials on the model.

Knowing a thing or two about lighting helps, but one group in the forefront of making it dead simple to create amazing product renderings is KeyShot. Version 2 is out with a new interface that’s so easy to use, you’ll forget about the loss of circulation in your legs and sit for hours behind the computer busting out fine, photo-realistic images. Let’s take a look.

Read More
In 3D CAD TECH

You Will Gesture Your Robot Touch Screen, and You Will Like It

2 Mins Read

My mouth… is full of soup. It’s also gapping wide open. So, soup is falling all over my desk as I watch the future controlled by our appendages. Appendages that haven’t been detached by our robot friends, but are being used to manipulate where we want them to display information… or interact with our environment.

It’s another project out of the MIT Media Lab called LuminAR. The idea is to take the computer display off the screen and move it where ever you need it. In addition, the display is projected by a robotic arm.

Don’t worry, it’s taught to do your bidding with programming to recognize your hand gestures and display interfaces according to the surrounding environment. So, no chance at all it would recognize something (YOU) as a threat and shoot beams of high-intensity light into your retinas.

Here’s the video…

Read More
In NEWS

SpaceClaim 2010. Direct Modeling Smells of More Features, Simulation and Sheet Metal

7 Mins Read

Go ahead, open the fridge. What do you see beside the fruit salad? A fresh bottle of SpaceClaim 2010. It’s fizzy and brimming with all sort of new features that make 3D product developers say things like, “refreshing!” and “titillating!” but mostly, “I’m so excited, I’ve torn my eyebrows off my face!”

Yesterday, SpaceClaim launched the 2010 version of the history-free 3D modeler and we’re gonna give you a look at the new caffeine-rich, direct modeling features and functionality. They’re serious about a few things this time around – sheet metal, assembly conditions and volume simulation, among bits of other features. It can be wrapped up in one, single beam of highly focused energy… they are all features users are asking for.

It’s giving the major 3D modeling programs a run for the money. In fact, with this release, I’d go as far as to say that SpaceClaim is now one of the major 3D modeling programs and they’re still pushing the envelope of direct modeling technology. How? Let’s have a look.

Read More
In CULTURE

Burn Ignite. Relating Skateboarding to Product Design and Engineering.

1 Min Read

I could seriously watch this video over and over again… In fact, I have. So much so, I caught fire myself and had to be doused with a potted plant from the kitchen.

I love watching skateboard videos, but this one does something a little different. This one tells the reason behind the madness and shows it in a rather visually stunning way. It’s easy to apply this type of intensity to skateboarding. Thing is, it could apply to what we do in product design and engineering. As you watch, it’ll also help to know that a large amount of the fire effects… are real.

Read More
In ROCKIN

Autodesk Fluid FX Makes Your iPhone, iPad Spray Visual Goodness

2 Mins Read

I don’t even use Autodesk Maya, so I have no idea what I’m saying, when I say… This is JUST like Maya. EXACTLY like the morphing effects that make you go to the next Hollywood blockbuster, raise your fist and shout, “The director and visual effects department that made this film are making blood shoot out MY EYES!!!!”

Well, Autodesk has gone and done the unthinkable, nay, the unimaginable, and squeezed that technology into your iPhone and iPad, at least the wee bits that fit. 10 controls plus a heap of presets.

Best part, you can fondle your touch device with all ten fingers warping such things as smoke, fire or the photo of your boss you took when he was climbing out of the freezer. Here’s more, along with a flattering photo of myself.

Read More