Chapters 13 & 14 DUE 10/28
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The final 2 chapters of Fabricated consider the future of 3d design and printing from the standpoints of design software (Ch 13) and materials science (Ch 14). Some of the concepts are a bit out-there! So, begin by imagining you are describing the future of 3d design and printing to a friend or relative who is intelligent and interested, but who has only the simplest understanding of 3d printing. Then, write two complete paragraphs, one dealing with each chapter. In the beginning of each paragraph, summarize the most important future development from the chapter (as you see it), using language that your friend/relative can understand. Then, discuss the broader implications of that development — in other words, why should your friend/relative care? Finally, outline the steps that would have to be taken to move from the current state of affairs to the realization of that future development.
Due by 4pm on Wednesday October 28. Late work will not be accepted.
In Chapter 13, the author suggests that 3D design softwares should be recreated so that artists and engineers can foster more creativity. The author uses the analogy of a recipe. Although recipes provide instructions on how to make food dishes, they do not illustrate how the dish will turn out to be visually. Today’s design softwares, as the author believes, stifles creativity by showing what is expected to turn out. The outcome that is proposed includes remaking softwares to be easily accessible and programmable. This way, more people are encouraged to play with the software and also create a “blueprint” of a design that could grow on its own or customize itself. Before redesigning 3D design softwares, which is one of the important developments needed, we must figure out how to create complex structures. Today, it is difficult and sometimes impossible to design an intricate model. And according to the author, creativity is possible only if anything is possible.
The most important future development in Chapter 14, I believe, is the creation of active forms that can analyze and recreate itself. As the author describes near the end of the chapter, one day robots will be able to create robots that are the improved versions of themselves. The implications of this development is that we humans will no longer have to worry about manufacturing things on our own. Robots would be able to do that by themselves. This way, our focus could be on the quality of life, or service-related business. If we are able to print a whole object without having to manually reassemble the parts, that would be the first feat. Afterwards, we would need to make a breakthrough in creating active systems as seen in nature. When we have completed these two steps, we would be much closer to 3D printing functional robots that can think, improve, and create new robots.
Have you ever wanted an artwork or poster to decorate the walls of your room but could never find the right one? Or have you wanted to create it yourself but could never find the right materials or refine your drawing and painting skills to effectively complete it? Well, the most important future development in the world of 3D printing from Chapter 13 is the ability to express limitless human imagination effortlessly with computer aided design. In other words, computers that can read your mind and represent it onscreen, then produce a physical version via a 3D printer. The author gives the example of a young girl gesturing in the air while on a nearby computer screen, a design takes shape. The computer understands her intentions and grows the design into its perfect final form. To understand the current state of affairs and how we can reach this future development where a little girl can actually do this, first we must begin with evolutionary design. “An iterative design process in which a human and a computer bounce ideas back and forth is called interactive evolutionary design.” The user does not need to know anything about the inner workings of the computer and in fact, it’s somewhat like an artist browsing the web (i.e. Pinterest) for inspiration before beginning a new project. The author along with a former student created a working prototype of this software named “Endless Forms.” Endless Forms allows a user to “breed” designs by choosing the ones they like, thereby demonstrating how computers and interactive design software introduce a new dimension to creative work. However, getting human designers and computers to creatively and seamlessly work together remains one of the biggest challenges in achieving the aforementioned future development. A large step in getting there is to develop computers and software that think in shapes just as we humans do.
The most important future development in the world of 3D printing from Chapter 14 is technological singularity. In other words, machines making machines, just as humans make humans. The author illustrates this idea as an “intelligence explosion” where smart machines design new generations of increasingly powerful, smarter machines. This would leverage technology to its highest point: a new level of creation. However, as advanced as modern-day manufacturing machines have become, they do not have the capability to design and produce more versions of themselves. 3D printing technologies will challenge this and further provide a missing link to the future development of technological singularity. 3D printers have already been used to design and build components for other 3D printers. Someday, 3D printers will create active, digital matter that has the capability to reconfigure itself into intelligent machines. In turn, these machines will redesign and create new and improved versions of themselves.
The author points out a technological revolution of design tools in the future in Chapter 13. For example, they will be responsive to touch, to movement, and to environmental conditions. So I interpret that this meaning is that design tools would be something like our human’s limbs, eyes, and five senses. In other words, it is like that our nerves reach design tools. Usually, most of people may have experience that you cannot draw an exact image even if you come up with an idea. Then you struggle with it and give it up. However, revolutionary design tools would make it possible for you to offer what you exactly want. Then I thought that one of future design tools, reactive blueprints are very interesting to transform our images to a real image. When a camera was invented, it was realized what you saw in two dimensions. But in the future, it would be a reality what you saw and thought in three dimensions.
We did the five materials x five objects in the class. We chose just a different material to make an object. However, in the future, we could pick one or more from various materials and mix them to create ideas that we came up with. I guess that this is the main concern that 3D printing has to make it big. So major technology companies and electric stores would handle 3D printers and they would spread out nationwide and international. However, the text book points out some negative point in Chapter 14. It is that small imperfections can turn into tiny cracks. Therefore, technology that match different materials will be important.Chapter 13:
In the future, 3d design software will be more intuitive, interactive and intelligent than current design software that adheres to traditional manufacturing constraints. The most important future development will be the creation and widespread use of matter compilers. Matter compilers will be the design software of the future that combines artificial intelligence and 3d printing. Users will tell the compiler what problem needs to be solved and enter the design specs to the compiler. The compiler will apply mathematical algorithms to create the optimal design solution and then 3d print it. Matter compilers will allow for the creation of new objects entirely designed by an artificial intelligence. Matter compilers may change the way people of the future live and work. The compilers would quickly design new optimal solutions and bypass the trial and error period. They would waste fewer resources in the design process. They may put human designers out of work and revolutionize the architectural field. Structures of the future may be entirely designed by artificial intelligences in the form of matter compilers. To bring matter compilers into reality, software engineers will have to put together the right combination of mathematical algorithms to create 3d printable designs from design specs and the stated problem to be solved. Prototypes of such software have already been created and used to design an organically-shaped optimally designed bookshelf bracket.
Chapter 14:
In the future, 3d printers will be able to blend multiple materials with properties that the original materials did not possess and designed to react to the environment in specific way. Printing plastic insulated conductive wires will be the first step to printing complete objects like cellphones and pre-assembled robots. Ultimately machines in the future will have the ability to make more machines. The technological singularity, wherein intelligent machines will be capable of creating even more intelligent machines, will be within reach. With the ability to continually produce improved versions of themselves, machines will be able to mimic biology and evolution. Humans will not be necessary to design or produce the successive generations of improved machines. Future humans will face a world where machines can evolve faster and outperform the entire human species. To get to this future, designers must determine how to print in multiple materials and create intelligent software able to determine optimal design solutions for problems.
Chapter 13 mentions about the future that holds for designing the future.The future of 3D design would consists of many technological advances which consists of our imagination and how we want to design soft wares for the future. To fully unlock the power of 3D printing technologies for everybody, designing tools must become more intuitive to learn, more fun to use and more capable. One promising approach is to make design software that looks and acts like a video game. It mentions about Gamifying GAD, Matters compilers, interactive evolution and breeding designs. It would be able to slowly understand the thinking an ideas of an individual and ultimately lead to discovery of new ideas.
Chapter 14 mentions about the materials science of 3-D printing and it elaborates on the co-fabrication of multiple materials, moving from printing passive parts to active systems and how we can use analog to digital and more analog digital printing. The future of 3-D printing would allow user to blend multiple materials with properties. In order to get to this future, humans would be need to be updated on the technological advances and continue to build software and programs that would continue to support technological advances of 3-D printing. However the future of bright for 3-D printing and more people should get on it.Chapter 13 is a very interesting chapter, what I found important it is how the authors was that the current software was not in our favor when it comes to 3D printing. The software’s need to be recreated in an easier way that people can use. I find very interested how Eric Haines developed a software called Mineways, which is similar to the famous game called Minecraft. But this Mineways is a software that allows people to edit, then 3D print what they have designed in Minecraft. I think he wanted to make a software that is more game related and easier to use. The author says that Minecraft is so easy to play that even a 8 year old can use it, and even his 8 year old son made him virtual home. What I also find interesting is how the authors related a 3D printer machine to Star Trek’s replicator. How that machine could make anything possible, but all what they asked for was a cup of Earl Grey tea or sometimes cheesecake. So “Earl Grey Syndrome” is a term that describes this, on how 3D machines can make anything but yet our imagination a stuck into past experiences and what we are already familiar with. I think before creating a new software that is easier to use, is to expand our imagination before we make easier software.
Chapter 14 talks about the materials that we can use to make certain objects, but also on how we still can’t print a complete advanced object without having to installed wires, or the brain of the object by humans. An example they use is when they printed out the robot. So they robot wasn’t really all 3D printed but only certain parts. They authors claims that in the future this will be possible, and we are going to be able to print a robot completely for the 3D machine. The authors also talks about how in the future e will be able to blend raw materials to new materials. In the future 3D technologies will improve and we will have more access to make complex objects. The goals for the future will be to be able to print an object, for example a robot, but 100% 3D printed, with battery, brain, wires included by mixing materials.
Chapter 13
The most important topic of chapter 13 was the process of gamifying CAD. The author mentions Eric Haines, the creator of the popular game called Minecraft, as he converses with him about the game itself. Although the game itself is simple and even somewhat primitive, the overall appeal comes from the evolution of simple blocks into grand structures. With current new technology, Mineways, players are even able to 3D print their creations within the game. This opens up more opportunities and creativity for players. Perhaps in the future, more sophisticated software will be developed to also support 3D printing similar to Mineways where players will be able to create freely and print.
Chapter 14
Chapter 14 mentions an “intelligence explosion” where machines will strive to produce and develop even more sophisticated machines similar to how humans are striving to create our robotic counterparts. Although this may seem like a recurring dream or a cliche movie, the actual outcome is not too far off. Current technology can support similar machinery and perhaps in the future the 3D printers can be autonomous; freely printing out machine after machine to dominate the decreasing human population. Ultimately bringing a new age of innovation, creativity and robot domination.Chapter 13 suggests that we should change the way society looks at the design process of 3d printing. As of now, it seems like the only people who know how to use it are people who are taught do it it or folks with a high skill set in design. In the future we intend to mend the design process and make it something that is fun to do, like Minecraft. In a sense, Minecraft is a form of 3d printing with Mineways, a computer application that can print the creations you made in Minecraft.
The most compelling thing discussed in Chapter 14 to me, was that objects can configure themselves to adapt to their environment.
To get out of the current mindset that we, as innovators, we need to stop constraining ourselves to the limits of what we know. In some respects, the “new” inventions of this period are merely updated versions of what is currently in existence.
Chapter 13: Hi friend! Remember that time you really wanted a vase, but you had such a particular tastes that you couldn’t really describe, and nothing you found in stores matched what you pictured? What if you had had the help of an intelligent software design system? One you could ‘converse’ with to brainstorm ideas? Well, get excited because there is such a thing! The concept is called, ‘Interactive Evolutions – Breeding Designs’. You basically bounce ideas back and forth with the software. The software shows you a crude concept, you pick the ones you like, and then it listens to those critiques and creates a new set of options for you. This continues until the most refined option that closely matches what you desire is created. Then, you can simply 3D print it! This is great for people who have a lot of ideas, but not the skills necessary to execute them. In fact, there is already a program doing this, called ‘Endless Forms’. However, it isn’t the perfect program. For example, if a user has no idea what they want to create, and so chooses random options the computer generates, the final outcome will probably suffer from design complications. Remember, this is a collaboration between machine and human! The software isn’t readily available to the public yet, I believe steps will probably have to be taken to create artificial intelligence behind the program that can truly be receptive to the needs of a wide variety of people. The software will also have to have some kind of user interface that will be intuitive and easy to understand for the people using it.
Chapter 14: Dear Friend, 3D printing is a wonderful, wonderful tool–but so far, we have only printed ‘passive’ objects. By passive, I mean that they do not react, sense, or respond to their environment. They are just there. However, I recently learned about a new concept that I believe could be very important for the future. It’s called, ‘Moving from Passive Parts to Active Systems’. An example of this that can be achieved currently is printing objects that can conduct electricity–as we can print metal objects. However, the REAL challenge is printing conductive components within a non-conductive outer shell. For example, a copper wire in a plastic shell. This is just a singular active part, however. Active parts aren’t really useful all by their lonesome. But, active parts integrated together creates “Active Systems“. Now that’s really something, right? An example of this is a battery. Can you imagine…with all the capabilities of 3D Printers we talked about (from buildings to bodies to food), most of them aren’t able to print a battery. I get why it’s so complicated though. Printing a single battery is much more complicated for a 3D printer than printing a million bricks to make a house. But, if we can continue pursuing printing active systems, we could print robots that could jump right out of the printer. We could print cars, stoves, even another printer that could work straight away. But 3D printers currently have a lot of limitations, such as the type of materials they can use and produce. They can’t even print paper, which is needed within batteries. Researchers also don’t want to risk the chance of unauthorized, active materials into a $100k machine just have it break!
Chapter 13 describes the future with 3D printing, where creativity has become the most important thing in manufacturing. As 3D printing participates in daily life and education, the software updates to be easier to use. A kid in age six can design his own thing with 3D printing technology. Computer programs are the crucial part of this era. It is smart enough to fix design problem and help users to design the stuff they want. It also motivates next generation to be creative. Engineers make the software more like a video game, and set up challenges and reward to attract young people to play with it. One of good example is the game, MineCraft, people can use blocks to build their own kingdoms. The software, Mineway, can let users to print out things that they made in Minecraft. It brings their idea and design in computer to real life and makes the design process more entertained. The future world is all about creativities, and the software today still have a long way to go, they need to be more smart and easy to use in order to bring this imaginary future to real.
Chapter 14 is all about manipulating materials and creates the form that can never be existed without 3D printing. The most amazing thing is that when mufti-martial printing technology advances, we may print out a complete product, like computer, car, cell phone. The computers take over the whole designing and printing process, and a computer can “clone” itself, even create a new computer by itself. However, today’s computer programs are not capable to do it, a advanced computer program system is the step stone to lead us to the future world.
3D printing is definitely a game changing technology, and as I say above, the future heavily depends on computer program and 3D printing. It’s important to understand what this technology will bring to us and know how to use it and explore it.
Chapter 13 depicts that the future of 3D printing has no boundaries; there are no limits to design and the possibilities are endless. Much like Star Trek, machines will be able to read minds and produce the desired designs in physical form. In today’s age there are limits to creativity by some design softwares, and the author believes that in the future this will no longer be an issue. Future 3D printing gives our imagination room to play and the design process will no longer be stifled by the ‘Earl Grey Syndrome’: the ability to only create what the machine tells you, you can create. Don’t worry, you don’t have to know anything about how the computer works, it is merely just about creating things you imagine, like in Minecraft. To get to this point we will have to put aside all restrictions of what other design programs and machines have taught us and get used to letting our imaginations run wild, while preparing to often bring ideas to life in a matter of minutes. There will have to be a seamless relationship between humans and computers; finding common ground is the best way to make sure this new design procedure will work.
Chapter 14 suggests that in the future 3D printing will consist of smart machines that will create machines like and smarter than themselves, this idea is called ‘intelligence explosion’. Current machines do not have this capability, so this will be a great advancement for 3D printing in the future. A professor told me that there was a time when 3D printers made other 3D printers, so I can only imagine how advanced future machines will be. This is much like humans, creating and producing other humans. Sooner than later, everything will be machine created and that will be a sight to see.
So imagine a world where you can talk to a machine and have it make whatever you want. You may need a specific tool to fix a broken shelf or bookcase but imagine instead an “extra-smart design assistant” that would solve your problem for you. So instead of providing you the means to an end it will give you the end solution you desire. The robot or assistant would scan the environment and interpret the situation and “print” a real time solution. Though these “matter compliers” aren’t really printing but rather they would be harnessing atoms. In order for us to get here though we will need more advanced AI that will be able to work with 3-d printing.
Also imagine a world where we can 3-d print blended materials. Like take a for instance a cell phone, a cell phone would be super complicated to print due to its wiring and circuitry underneath the plastic surface. If it were possible to print an entire working phone, then we wont even have to leave for the store or go through a cell phone company again! This level of 3-d printing will open up gigantic doors for what is possible in creating active and live systems from the go. In order for us to get here it would require inventive thinking beyond the realm of printing passive parts. In the inception of our design models, we will not only have to think about how it will physically look on the outside but how it will “come to life” and work underneath.
There are many times you walk by the street and you see something that attract your eyes. Often these may be things that you want to have and for whatever the reason you can obtain. This is where chapter 13 suggest that 3D design software should be recreated so that artists and engineers can have better tools for more creativity. The book talks about 3D printing as a recipe because it gives instructions on how the product should be printed but in reality even with instruction given you never know how the print will come out until is done. That is why the software use today creates a bigger field for creativity. To help with this cause they want to remake new software that is assessable and easy to use. This will drag more people to get into designing something that can be customize for themselves. They can create sketches of what they need or looking for.
Having that said wouldn’t it be more interesting having more types of material for 3D printers. Chapter 14 talks about having the option to be able to print anything we want in the material that we want not just because is useful but also because it would be possible. Because technology will be so far I advance, we can even have machines that could print other machines in a faster paste. Like the example given of the robot in which only parts of it are 3D printed but later we can have the entire thing made from a machine that is 3D printed to make one. The industry is growing so fast that we need to learn to catch up with it or create software that allows humans to have a better manipulation in it.
n Chapter 13 the most important future development would be the reactive blueprints. This is because it is the most sophisticated form of language to manage. Allowing the 3D printed object to change to the environment it is exposed to at the moment is huge. Instead of making things that are finite and fixed in one position having a reactive blueprint allows comfort and ease at all times. For example if a pipe in your home is structurally weakened due to pressure an adjustment can be made to strengthen the weak point. You should care about reactive blueprints because this can be the basis of 3D printed tires that change tread depending on the ground temperature and weather to optimize performance of a car or armor on a soldier that reacts to pressure or sound and strengthens their body armor greatly in times of extreme danger. There are so many fields where having tools that change with the environment is beneficial. What we have to do today to get to that point is to create fluid algorithms that can sense changes in the environment to change the item to suit the user at that given time.
In Chapter 14 what I feel like is the most important in the chapter is the ability to blend multiple materials. These blended materials will have better properties than their previous versions because of the controlled randomness that we are able to program into them. This would allow for people to print things like tires or body armor that would be allow reactive blueprints. This would allow every conceivable thing to be made stronger and better for the consumer.
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