Hasta La Gadget!

Not only did Mayor Mike Bloomberg cut the ribbon today at the new Shapeways 3D printing factory in New York, he did it using 3D-printed scissors. And they came out of the printer fully assembled. More »

We’ve seen 3D printers make tons of things, from the novel to the useful, such as prosthetic limbs. Well John Mabry of Teague Labs wanted to see if he could make a completely functional object from 3D printing which could be put together without any tools, and this basically resulted in the pair of 3D printed headphones pictured above. He used a Makerbot Replicator to create these headphones and he even posted the schematics and instructions on Thingiverse, should anyone wish to replicate these. He dubbed them the 13:30 because apparently it took him a good 13 hours and 30 minutes to create them. Now we highly doubt that these headphones are of audiophile quality, but we guess the novelty of being able to print headphones in any design you want is pretty appealing.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: The MakerBot Replicator 2 puts mad scientist-level prototyping within reach, California Headphones deliver retro style models inspired by WW2 aviation headsets,

We know you’ve got questions, and if you’re brave enough to ask the world for answers, then here’s the outlet to do so. This week’s Ask Engadget inquiry is from Paul, who wants to experiment with additive manufacturing that’s beyond the capacity of his Makerbot. If you’re looking to ask one of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com.

“Hi! I’d like to prototype some seriously complex jewelry and my Makerbot isn’t up to the task. Can someone suggest a good online 3D printing service that also offers international shipping? Thanks!”

3D printing is so new that no service has made a name for itself above all others, so let’s throw it open to the world’s finest minds, our trusty readers. Hold your breath, count to ten, feel the Earth move… and then share your experiences in the comments below.

Filed under: Misc, Internet

Ask Engadget: best online 3D printer? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 06 Oct 2012 22:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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While theme parks and animation come to mind when we think of Disney, it’s clear that the company is investing significant time, money and effort into cool new technologies as well. We’ve already seen Disney’s interactive food concept, and their cool touch interaction system. Now it looks like they’re trying to advance the world of 3D printing by creating digitally-printed optics.

Applying 3D printing techniques to optically clear plastics, Disney Research wants to create custom lenses and illumination devices which can be embedded directly into products.

Using the technique, they could make everything from special light-up eyes for a toy robot to unique illuminated displays for vehicles, to high-tech lighting fixtures and volumetric displays. The technique also could produce something called “light pipes” which could redirect light from one surface to another, similarly to fiber optics.

The video clip below features several other examples of how printed optics could be used:

You can read more details about the technology in Disney Research’s paper on 3D printed optics here [PDF].

[via Core77 via PolkaRobot]

As 3D printers become more and more accessible to a consumer audience, one question lingers above the rest: why? Granted, they’re incredibly cool, but what, if any, are the practical implication of such a technology? For the most part, the great ambassadors of 3D printing have largely been printable toys — cool, but not particularly useful. The question, as posed by John Mabry reads as follows,

What if printed prototypes could become actual products? Meaning, once off the print bed an object could be assembled without any tools and be made functional by readily attainable components.

An attempt at the answer comes in the form of the 13:30 printable headphones, which can by created on a MakerBot Replicator and coupled with some off-the-shelf components, making for a pair of slick-looking, functional headphones that, at the very least, will help you stand out from the rest of the Beats By Dre enthusiasts on a crowded subway train.

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Alt

Print your own headphones on a MakerBot Replicator and beat Dre at his own game originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Oct 2012 11:36:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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