Tag Archives for 3D-printing

Blinded Spanish photographer makes 3D photos

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Almost total blindness hasn’t put off artist Juan Torre from producing photographs that are appreciated by those with and without perfect vision. The Spaniard has managed to achieve this by creating photos which the public can literally feel and touch.

This has been part of a long journey for Torre, who suffered almost total blindness after contracting Behcet’s syndrome at the age of 30. This left him with just 6 percent vision. He had worked as a photographer ever since starting college and this setback was not going to put him off doing what he loved best.

“There are generally two reasons why I keep taking photographs. First I use the technologies in modern cameras like the sound notification in cameras which helps me, as well as autofocus,” he told RT.

“Secondly, I take photographs because this used to be my profession when I worked in media. I normally use a 300mm long-range zoom and choose what I want to shoot.”

He uses his camera like a telescope, using the zoom to its maximum. Once he has found an image that is interesting, he will then adjust his settings to capture the image that he wants.

To help the visually-impaired enjoy his work, he has devised a technique with help from the Estudios Durero studio. He takes his photographs and prints them onto aluminum boards and adding a special kind of ink. This UV ink turns into plastic polymers when it dries and this gives the pictures their relief, which those who lack sight, are able to feel the various contours and literally get a ‘feeling’ for his work.

His main motivation behind the project has been to try and inspire both abled bodied people and the blind, adding that it has “artistic value as well as social value.”

“You could say it is some sort of equalization as people with certain kinds of abilities can meet at the exhibition and standing in front of the picture, both people with and without sight can comment on it. People are using their different capabilities – one by looking, the other by touching. At the end of the day, they can discuss the same image and this is how blind people are able to understand the language of photography,” he mentioned to RT.

Neat!

Extinct giant penguin found in shed

Will S.' Sunny Side Blog

A bird that would have towered above today’s largest species is rediscovered thanks to 3D printing.

A giant penguin that would have towered above today’s largest species has been discovered in a New Zealand university’s storage shed, it’s been reported.

The fossilised bones of the as-yet unnamed bird had remained in storage at Auckland University since 1971, until the advent of 3D printing helped experts confirm that it was “almost certainly” a new type of giant penguin, Radio New Zealand International reports. The new technology meant that Dr Daniel Thomas was able to scan the bones to an American palaeontologist, and they were able to determine the bird would have stood at least 30cm taller than an emperor penguin, and taller than the extinct Kairuku penguin, whose remains were identified in 2012. “I imagine an emperor would have run away scared,” Dr Thomas said, pointing out that he was…

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Now there’s 3D-printing of tattoos

Just put your body under an appropriately-programmed / designed 3D printer!

The number of amazing things you can 3D print increases every day. Already, the process lets us create video game controllers and prosthetics seemingly out of thin air. Humans have even evolved to the point where we can 3D print food. Now, 3D printing has spread to the world of tattoos.

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While this is certainly impressive, human tattoo artists around the world don’t need to fear losing their jobs. The tattoo machine can only imprint designs that have been programmed into a gallery, so it lacks the creativity and flexibility of a human artist. If you want, for example, a permanent image of Pope Francis I, you’ll still have to seek out a live artist.

I’m sure it’ll work just fine though for simple tramp stamps…

Japanese woman 3D-prints a kayak made from a model of her vulva; gets arrested for obscenity

LOL! 🙂

vulvakayak

Tokyo-based artist Megumi Igarashi, 42, was arrested on Saturday for sending data that could be used to create 3D models of her vagina.

She had sent it to people who had donated money for a project to make a vagina-shaped kayak using a 3D printer.

The arrest made headlines in national media and triggered discussion on Japan’s obscenity laws.

Ms Igarashi also goes by the moniker Rokudenashiko, which means “no-good girl” in Japanese.

A police spokesman told AFP news agency she had distributed data that could “create an obscene shape”.

On her website, Ms Igarashi says she has made several pieces of art based on her genitals using a silicone mould, saying she wants to make vaginas “more casual and pop”.

The vagina “has been such a taboo in Japanese society… (it) has been thought to be obscene”, while penises are regarded as “part of pop culture”, she said.

3D Printed Bong

It was bound to happen…

3dprintedbong

While the experts debate, many young people have started to test the technological and ethical limits of 3D printing. Meet Ben, an average Israeli with a hobby. Ben likes his marijuana, but finds it difficult to find decent and reasonably priced bongs in Israel, where he lives.

Instead of paying for overpriced and poorly designed bongs, Ben decided to make his own. Ben’s other specialty, or expertise, is 3D printing and after building his Rostock 3D printer (RepRap project), he decided to start experimenting will all kinds of prototypes – one of them the now-famous bong.

The idea came came to life after a fun night out. Ben and his merry group of friends were chatting about 3D printing and its potential when someone suggested that Ben should print a bong. After initially laughing at the idea, Ben went to his laptop and started browsing for bong models. Eventually he found an STL file of a bong on Thingiverse, Makerbot’s community for sharing and making 3D printed things. The rest is history.