Makerspaces, libraries and education

Low cost, high resolution, 3D bioprinters revolutionizing the field of regenerative medicine.

What is BioBots?
Biobots is the future of regenerative medicine - a high resolution desktop 3D bioprinter that builds functional three dimensional living tissue.

Combining ultrasound and 3D-printing technologies leads to a wondrous moment for an expectant Brazilian mom.

The open hardware community is steadily building on the foundation laid by the free and open source (FOSS) community. Open hardware really took off with the low-cost, easy-to-learn Arduino microcontroller. Of all the amazing projects it enables, perhaps the most interesting was the open source RepRap 3D printer, which stands for self-replicating rapid prototyper. The goal of the RepRap project is to produce a 3D printer completely capable of making itself. It is about halfway there, and most of the non-printable components can be found in a hardware store.

The course essentially distilled the RepRap ethos and formalized it as an introduction to distributed additive manufacturing. We used "Open Source Lab: How to Build Your Own Hardware and Reduce Research Costs" as the textbook to cover the material from an engineering scientist perspective. The course covered the hardware, firmware, slicing, and printer controller software for operating and maintaining the device—all of which are free and open source. The class followed a blended learning format, meaning students often did design project "homework" in class and a lot of reading at home

Jim Lerman's insight: What a great article! Well worth a read if you're into the future of making.

"Making allows students to learn by doing and solve problems by tinkering, trial and error. Minecraft is a 3D sandbox game, which has made its way into classrooms because it engages students across a range of subjects. Imagine the learning that happens when these two popular education movements are combined.

"The outcome is a powerhouse of student engagement, says Mike Washburn, head of computer science at Richmond Hill Montessori & Elementary Private School in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.  In his mind, games shouldn’t be relegated to the fringes in classrooms. Educators should leverage them to engage students and drive new ways of thinking.

"And when it comes to teaching social studies, a subject that often gets a bad rap when supported by only worksheets and textbook reading, incorporating Minecraft can create an explosion of learning. Game playing takes the “boring” right out of it and can be a highly successful way to teach social studies, Washburn argues."

Six Sci-Fi Disruptive Technologies That Will Change The World Technology is changing the world as we know it. We all know it and have experienced incredibl

Making music could be as easy as firing up your 3D printer. Here are 11 instruments you can create with the simple push of a button.

Libraries have long been community gathering spaces where all members of society can gather around the pursuit of knowledge or the entertainment of a good read. But the outmoded function of the library as a giant warehouse for physical books means that architects are now obliged to focus on designing tech-forward, eco-friendly community hubs to keep them viable in a digital world.

I tend to see things less in terms of limitation, and more in terms of possibilities, with many new options in terms of materials, detail, scale and durability of printable items.

TechShop is a membership-based do-it-yourself workshop that provides members with the use of tools and equipment, classes and a vibrant and creative community of people so they can build the things they have always wanted to make.

One of the most exciting uses of 3D Printing is in data visualisation.

It’s been almost eight months since the massive 9.0 T?hoku earthquake hit Japan, leaving devastation in its wake. In an attempt to extract art and beauty out of that terrible event, British artist Luke Jerram has created a 3D-printed sculpture of the seismogram from that earthquake.