They say space exploration is good because it generates “spin-offs”. Well, here’s one to add to the list. Over the past couple of years NASA has been searching for solutions for 3D printed structures in space. Specifically, on the Moon and other planets. Instead of developing the technology themselves, they used crowdsourcing to generate unique ideas from the public. Their Habitat Challenge, which we’ve been following recently, has pushed entrants to develop means to practically 3D print structures from (mostly) local materials. There are several very interesting projects that have emerged. As NASA unleashed each more advanced level in the Challenge, only the best entrants were selected to continue. MARSHA…

The 2nd annual Hardware Summit put on by Hardware Massive will be held in San Francisco on November 6, 2019. It turns out I’ll be moderating a panel talk there. That scores me a discount code to share with my closest friends: you! The Super Secret Code is: SAVE15-EM If you use to get your tickets, the code should already be applied. And take note of the pricing — there are early bird discounts available only for a limited time. Who Should Go? This event is great for those working in or with hardware startups. Really, though, “hardware” in this context these days, means “any sort of fancy physical product…

These days, refrigerator manufacturers are adding just about anything—from touch displays to kid-friendly storage drawers—to appeal to today’s modern consumers with discerning tastes. And as America’s taste for craft cocktails continues to increase, it would make sense for LG to install a craft ice maker in one of their most expensive refrigerator offerings, the InstaView Door-in-Door Refrigerator with Craft Ice Maker. Let’s start with the basics though: apart from the craft ice maker, the fridge has all the bells and whistles you would expect for a $4,399.99 modern chilled food storage container to have: you can store your kids’ junk food and your diet meals in its cavernous 30 cubic-foot storage…

Washing machines, blenders, stoves; just about every household appliance is associated with some form of electrical power. But what would household appliances look like if you removed the power cord and need for energy standards altogether? Created by German designer Manuel Immler, Pino is an electricity-free, multi-tool kitchen appliance that can be fitted with several standard kitchen tools such as a whisk or a grinder. Using a special three-gear hand crank, Pino converts manual exertion into energy which powers the attachments up to 1,000 rpm per minute. It doesn’t look like it stores the energy mind you, so be prepared to work for your scrambled eggs and coffee grounds in the morning.…

Get that stretch out of your system with this week’s Spotify-powered SolidSmack Radio Playlist. It’s fashioned up, ready to make you pull your shoulder blades back and knock out another week of meaningful work while you bob your head to the beat. Whether you’re in the shop milling aluminum, sketching the latest product prototypes or modeling up a 3D storm, consider these tracks as a tool for your process. This week on SolidSmack Radio we’re getting things rolling with the all-new “Sonali” from the original punk rocker, Iggy Pop. We’ll follow up with a smorgasbord of oldie-but-goodies including those from Spacehog, Garbage, The Breeders, and others before wrapping up with…

Before Spotify, MP3 sound files, and CDs, people listened to music through cassette tapes. These little blocks of plastic with rolls of film in them played tunes when played through a cassette player, and no cassette player was more famous than the Sony Walkman. First introduced 40 years ago in July of 1979, Sony’s portable music player went through numerous iterations before it became the media player it is today (yes, they’re still around). While the present-day Walkman looks as generic as apple pie, the original Walkman TPS-L2 has an iconic design which stands the test of time. To commemorate almost half a decade of the Walkman’s existence, Sony held…