Thanks to a growing network of designers and engineers who been actively donating their time, energy and 3D printers towards the development of low-cost (or free) customized prosthetic devices, those who rely on the devices have never had as many options as they do today. Among others, e-NABLE has been actively establishing a global network of volunteers to connect designers and engineers with those in need – particularly children who are still growing and need to replace their prosthetic device every few years as they continue to grow. Now, young prosthesis wearers who want to take things a step further and customize their devices for a variety of tasks just…

When it comes to the near future of how things get made, generative design tools are slowly but surely becoming yet another useful component of the modern day designer and engineer’s tool kit. The generative design process, which centers around infinite computing power to find optimized design solutions based on parameters that are set by a designer, is not only a way of increasing design quality and performance – but is also capable of dramatically reducing costs and materials in an effort to optimize manufacturing strategies very early in the design process. In an effort to make the generative design process even easier, Autodesk has released a new set of…

With so many cool things coming out each week, it can be hard to wade through all the rock-awesomeness. With ‘Cool Tools’, we’ve done the hard work for you. This week we saw everything from a Star Wars Death Star Aromatic Infuser that’s sure to look right at home on your desk, a fancy new app offering from Polaroid, a look back at the past 25 years of Photoshop and more… Ready? Let’s go! This week we look at: DESIGN Ceramic Death Star Aromatic Infuser “ルームフレグランス用のセラミック・アロマディフューザーです。 エッセンシャルオイルを２〜３滴、本体に直接染みこませてご使用ください。　付属品以外の精油・香油などもご使用いただけますが、アロマの種類によっては色移りやインクのにじみが発生する場合がありますので、裏側など目立たない場所をご使用ください…” Street Fighter II Official Arcade Soundtrack Record “The soundtrack release will include new remasters of both CPS-1 and CPS-2 versions of the arcade…

When it comes to learning 3D CAD tools in today’s age – be it SolidWorks, Rhino, Catia, Fusion 360, MODO or most any other – motivated self-learners have more options than ever before ranging from random tips and tricks videos on YouTube to more organized online courses from multiple providers. But as educational tools as a whole continue to become more interactive thanks to new digital tools and experiences for today’s always-connected students, CAD education itself has sadly fallen behind. Among others who want to change this is Autodesk, and they’re starting by launching a new Fusion 360 course on iTunes this Fall. Structured to be used by both educators…

Time for another round of apps that cover the spectrum of your beloved mobile device, be it iPhone, Android or Windows! The Weekly App Smack is the best of design and productivity apps (and maybe a couple of fun ones, too) for the busy design or engineering professional and this week we have a list sure to make you more efficient. This week we have an entirely new way of exploring restaurants in your city thanks to some insider info from local chefs, yet another way of managing and streamlining your inbox, an update to the popular PC Remote app and more… Do you have an app suggestion that has…

The Creator’s Project kicked off their ReForm series, jumping straight into 3D scanning, but 3D scanning on scale that you likely haven’t seen yet. The short inaugural documentary looks at how researchers are are advancing 3D scanning and motion capture. USC’s Institute of Creative Technology (ICT) is leading the awesome with motion capture tech that looks more like the highlight reel for the Electric Daisy Carnival, but captures data at a mind-boggling rate. The ICT Light Stage research, ongoing since 2000, is being used in Media & Entertainment to capture ultra-realistic appearance and motion of characters–you’ve seen the result in dozens of films–but as you can imagine, we can’t help…