Between September 16th-20th this year, Denver was overflowing with out-of-towners for Denver Startup Week. (Which was much to the dismay of native Denverite Uber passengers.) Here, you can read about the many physical product development related goings-on at this free conference. There were a lot. See below for the video: The Venue I try not…
Matches, for lack of a batter term, are pretty hot right now. They can be used to start fires for cooking, illuminate dark areas, and provide warmth during cold nights. Matches are also pretty combustible and thus are used by artists and YouTube creators to produce some awesome matchstick art. Previously, we’ve covered a 52,000…
As the title implies today we’ll delve into how to make realistic looking objects that can be used as film props or Cosplay accessories. And we’ll do it with the help of a new friend, The Crafsman! You’ll learn a few techniques for making molds and objects using two-part pourable silicone rubber. And after the…
Recently, I toured Europe to learn about how hardware startups grew there. Where is the Euro Silicon Valley? How are startups treated there compared to in the U.S.? How does networking, funding and team-building work over yonder? One of my stops was Warsaw, Poland. Here, I’ll share what I learned touring the FabLab powered by…
Have you ever wondered what’s involved to bring a new product to market? Perhaps even now you have a juicy idea scrawled out on a napkin tucked away somewhere. Every time you happen across it you’re thinking “Without a doubt, this here puppy is the next big thing!” Problem is, you have no earthly idea…
On January 30th, 2019, an impressive concentration of hardware pros could be found at Synapse Product Development’s downtown Seattle office. Usually, HW people are in the minority at tech events, but not this time. What was the buzz about? Dragon Innovation was there to sponsor a HW startup panel which also included representation from Hackster,…
To keep up in a modern age where everything is better when it’s the size of your thumb, The Raspberry Pi Foundation have created an updated version of their old 2014 Raspberry Pi 3B+ quad-core processor, simply called the Raspberry Pi 3 Model A+. Loyal followers of Raspberry might recall the company releasing a miniaturized…
We can always depend on industrial designer Eric Strebel to put a ton of effort into every project he makes—especially when it comes to his YouTube videos that unveil many design tips and tricks. In his latest, Strebel showcases how he makes his prototypes look so dang remarkable—from filling imperfections to achieving that perfect coat…
When working on a project for a client, designer Eric Strebel likes to help out his fellow man by dropping some of his own modelling tips and tricks along the way. He’s already showed us how to create casting boxes, approximately a hundred cast parts from scratch, and his personal process for low volume manufacturing.…
Industrial designer Eric Strebel is at it again – this time with a how-to guide on making reusable mold boxes for casting silicone or urethane parts. Eric has already skipped the boring part and cut the pieces out, so it’s just a matter of predrilling the sides to prevent the wood from splitting. He overlaps…
Few materials are as cheap and versatile as cardboard, which makes it a perfect building material for everything from rough prototypes to even finished products. Put in the hands of a true artist, however, and the material elevates to a new dimension entirely. At least, this is the case with Japanese artist Monomi Ohno. While…
We’re back! If you’re familiar with some of my other projects or subscribe to my YouTube channel, you’ll notice two new videos. Those are the the first of an eight part video series on building product prototypes. The series captures the process of creating a working prototype for a solar charger power bank – The…
A great pleasure of mine is enjoying an overpriced hot caffeinated beverage while having esoteric conversations about design around like minded individuals. We rhapsodize about the coolest things we have designed, the crazy hours, and hurdles we overcame. We debate the merits and pitfalls (usually pitfalls) of different 3D printers and CAD packages. And, of…
Although Dyson’s Bladeless fans look freakin’ cool and feature a Helmholtz cavity designed to capture and dissipate motor noise, the bladeless tech comes in at a hefty $300 – easily sitting in the upper price bracket for desktop fans. While the bladeless fans feature ridiculously cool-looking internal parts just like Dyson’s vacuums, is the bladeless technology…
Known for being almost impossible to carry around without a gig van, the last thing that any drummer would expect to be able to carry on their back is a drumset – particularly for impromptu acoustic jam sessions. But heck, what if they could? The cardboard DRUMKIT from OBILAB music just might be the best thing…
The lasting contribution to society from today’s reality TV shows can be endlessly debated, but if there is one that can do more good than harm, it’s likely the Intel-backed America’s Greatest Makers. The reality competition show, which pits 24 teams of Makers against each other with weekly build challenges leading up to a $1…
Responsible for everything from R/C lawnmowers to auto-lacing sneakers, the Arduino is the backbone for some of the most wild and crazy – but also sorta genius – projects within the past few years. Now, there’s a new kid on the block. Launching at Maker Faire Bay Area this weekend, the Arduino Primo is the latest and…
Prototyping. An overused buzzword? A misunderstood concept? A noun, a verb, and an adjective? Prototyping is a philosophy. Actually, prototyping is the philosophy when it comes to making top notch designs in today’s hyper competitive market.
According to Australia-based Knog, bike bells generally look and sound a bit ugly – but what if they were streamlined to fit the existing profile of a handlebar and sounded like an angel playing a glockenspiel? That’s a big “what if” – but if their recent success on Kickstarter is any indication, thousands of bell-ringing cyclists also…
It was nearly a decade ago when the idea of producing physical objects on a desktop started to pick up steam – both for the object creators themselves and the consumers who use them. Today, it’s hit the mainstream and anybody with a fistful of cash can walk into anywhere from Best Buy to Barnes…
Having already created a dashboard, a horse-drawn carriage, a helicopter, and various other items out of cardboard, sculptor Shannon Goff might have topped herself with her most recent full-scale cardboard replica project, Miles to Empty. Measuring in at 19′ x 6’5″ x 4’9″, Goff sculpted a full-scale replica of a Special Edition Collector’s Series 1979…
When it comes to making paper models for prototyping or form inspiration purposes, rarely ever do we expect the final results to ever function as the final object – especially if it’s as complicated as an engine. Yet, YouTube user Al Zh has defied the odds and has created what is likely one of the…
It’s no secret that cardboard is among one of the most effective materials for building prototypes, yet the material rarely ever moves past prototyping stage for obvious reasons. Ernest Packaging, a nationwide custom packaging solution company that was started out of a Los Angeles garage in 1946, has been spending the past year pushing the…
As we move towards a more streamlined, always-anywhere, Cloud-connected computing experience however, it’s becoming more common for users to want to take their hardware into more demanding conditions outside of the air conditioned office … and when it comes to some of the best and most reliable portable workstation solutions that are ideal for industrial…
A couple of months ago, I left my day job to give myself the freedom to explore my curiosities and pursue some nagging, deep rooted – but altogether indefinite – ideas. The best way I can describe it is that it feels like there is some rope tied around my waist pulling me forward, and…
Despite having some of the more interesting onscreen visuals we’ve seen in years, it’s likely that the 2010 film TRON: Legacy might not be in your Top Ten Films of All Time list. However, it’s hard to deny that – in addition to the unique visual effects – one of the most memorable aspects of…
If you happened to be at the London Design Festival in early 2010, chances are you stopped by Clemens Weisshaar and Reed Kram’s OUTRACE installation – which invited the general public to take control of eight industrial robots on loan from Audi’s production line and use them to write personal light messages that were recorded…
Although living in a big city may have a seemingly endless list of perks for many, living in a cultural epicenter with millions of other people is not without its drawbacks, too. Aside from high real estate costs and a lack of greenery, many who work on creative projects are oftentimes left with having to…
Earlier this year, MoMA’s PS1—a satellite extension of the Museum of Modern Art—was home to the Hy-Fi, a cutting-edge structure made out of mushroom material. The entirely compostable structure was made from brick-like blocks that were grown rather than manufactured and the natural materials helped in providing a pleasant microclimate for PS1 visitors. The futuristic…
For over 25 years, paper engineer Peter Dahmen has been creating every last type of pop-up book or 3D paper structure imaginable. From the more traditional pop-up greeting cards to large-scale set designs for automakers such as MINI, the German graphic designer’s story of how he got started in paper engineering is just as fascinating…
Known as the go-to dev board for those looking to prototype with electronics, the Raspberry Pi’s stripped-down Linux PC circuit board is the perfect starting point for those looking to create wearables and other small computer projects. Aiming to bring that power to even smaller devices, Raspberry Pi today announced the Model A+, an even…
When the concept of a ‘3D Printing Pen’ launched a little over a year ago, it was met with equal parts “this is just freakin’ awesome” and “what the heck should I do with this thing?” Design visualization specialist, aerial cinematographer, Maker and all-around mad genius Matt Quest has created what is sure to go…
This week EngineerVsDesigner sat down with the young and talented founder of one of our favorite product design sites, Mr. Jude Pullen! We’ll talk to Jude about working with your hands in a digital prototyping age, how the idea for his site Design Modelling came about, and why he believes that working with your hands…
This week EngineerVsDesigner sat down with the young founder of a new tool company that has redesigned the traditional shovel as we know it, Mr. Stephen Walden! We’ll talk to Stephen about how he got the idea for his product, how he developed it as a non-designer/engineer, and how he is going about leading his…
While there are plenty of books on the various methods of fabrication techniques, a select few ever appear on the subject of modelmaking and protoyping for product design purposes. Sure, there is value in learning dovetail joints and proper bandsaw maintenance, but the core values of these existing books tend to veer into ‘shop class’…
Don’t let your eyes deceive you people…this is not a mockup or macro photography trickery. Inspired by the appearance of corrugated cardboard, Swedish design studio TAF recently designed the offices for Swedish branding and design agency NINE with interiors that resemble cardboard boxes—a well-played nod to the packaging design that happens within the agency’s walls.