Ohmu! The multi-eyed monsters from "Nausicaa"

 [source]

3D printing ... in many different ways

'' Hello, I am Origo. I am a 3D printer for ten year olds.
You can draw your very own things in 3Dtin and I’ll build them for you in plastic. '' [source, video]

'' Cube®
A 3D Printer for the home.
Express yourself in 3D.
Simplify with WiFi.
Starting at $1,299'' [source, video]

'' LEGO 3D Milling Machine - "3D Printer" '' [video]

2D + water = 3D

'' Printed 2D Tissues Transform Into 3D With Water, Suitable For Blood Vessels And Robots 
...
Researchers have determined how to control the shape of a polymer system at the micro-scale with a technique akin to half-tone printing.

The polymer they use swells like a microscopic sponge when exposed to water, however printing 'resist dots' in the polymer substrate creates points that will not swell (1). When all resist dots in one area are the same size, the area undergoes uniform expansion and the structure remains flat (2). When the dot size changes, however, buckling occurs from the mismatch in growth from one area to another (3). With a proper half-tone pattern of resist dots, almost any 3-D shape can be achieved.'' [source]

3D printing and fractals

'' ... intriguing software tool that can be used to develop incredibly cool 3D models. It's called "SUBSTANCE", from NeuroSystems. Here's NeuroSystem's tagline:

NeuroSystems creates and provides leading edge, high quality applications in the fields of realtime 3D simulation and Computer Graphics. One of those applications is SUBSTANCE, the Evolutionary and Organic Art Creator. '' [source, and details]

Some examples of drawings based on fractals.

 

Example of practical design application of fractal structure: a fractal table

Mecha robots: big and small! :D

- Jeeg superdeformed and posable! 

[source]

- Getter robot (1, 2 and 3)

[source]

- SD Grandizer [source]


Paper toys:

- Goldrake (aka Grendizer, aka Goldorak) 

- Another version of Goldrake, this time with spacer [source]:

- mini mazinger [source]

- Generic (but really cool) paper-robot [source]:

- and for these kinds of paper toys, this site looks really nice: http://paperkraft.blogspot.com/

3D models:

- Go Nagai spaceships [source]

Sliceforms

What a nice idea for calculus in 3 dimensions! ''paper sliceform [ARE] models made from intersecting sets of parallel planes which slot together to generate interesting three-dimensional surfaces'' [book]

Possibly one could take a function of 2 variables, plot a few profiles, then create a sliceform out of it. [as done here]

Another nice example can be seen here.

Harmonic motion and molecular assemblers

''Simple Harmonic Motion'' [source]

Simple Harmonic Motion study #2a from Memo Akten on Vimeo.

''A molecular assembler is a "proposed device able to guide chemical reactions by positioning reactive molecules with atomic precision", as defined by K. Eric Drexler.'' [source]

Paper, origami, printing in 3D and paper automata

''Sumo Wrestling Game Papercraft'' [source]

''Make Your Own Working Paper Clock'' [source]

''Paper Automata: Four Working Models to Cut Out & Glue Together'' [source]

3D printers (plastic- and paper-based):
''Mcor Technologies of Ardee, Ireland has developed a US$22,000 3D printer that combines an eco-friendly water-based adhesive with standard A4/letter paper to create wood-like three-dimensional models.'' [source, and here]

''Cheap, portable personal 3D printer: the UP!'' [video]

''Researchers at Vienna University of Technology (TU Vienna) have developed a 3D printer models that are smaller, simpler and probably cheaper for the same class 3D printer.
'' [source]

Tangible interfaces, paper and more.

Various interesting projects made with paper [source]

Via: The low-tech club [LoTeCLB]

Origami - is there anything they can't do?

'' __quote here___ '' [source, video]

''Paper folds itself into a natural equilibrium form depending on its creases.'' [source] More info here.

How can I fold paper along a curve?
Examples:
[source]

''Curved Folding'' [source]

And if you can download it, check out this one: "Curvature and Creases: A Primer on Paper" [source]
And here are some examples.


Free software to create origami: tree maker.

Origami are connected to interesting and complex problems in math and also chemistry.
''Computational Origami
...
Lang had already developed algorithms to flatten a set of polygons, and he applied them to a computer simulation of how to flatten the 3-D polyhedron shape of an inflated air bag.
...
The air-bag design was based on an algorithm Lang calls the "universal molecule," which flattens a set of polygons so their edges remain aligned to one another.
...
Erik Demaine, a 22-year-old professor of electrical engineering and computer science at MIT, started folding paper at age 6 and developed that hobby into the study of the mathematics of folded forms.
Demaine now studies folds in proteins, the basic building blocks of life. He believes that computational origami could fight diseases that are currently incurable, such as mad cow disease, which are caused by proteins that have what he calls "bad folds."
''
[source]

Great "step motion" movies

''Sketching a stop motion tutorial'' [source]
''“Het Klokhuis” (Apple Core) Opening & End Titles'' [source]

Mixed news

''Dell's 10-inch Android and Windows tablets get names, specs, release dates'' [source]

''Digital fabrication'' [source]


''INCREDIBLE GIGAPIXEL PHOTOGRAPHY'' [source and here]
''ULTIMATE LEGO ART COLLECTION WITH USEFUL RESOURCES'' [source]

''Matrix L-system and Paper Folding with Scissors'' [paper]

''Very nice, short and visual solution of Rubik cube'' [source]

''One Size Fits Nobody: Seeking a Steady 4 or a 10'' [source]

Mechanical "LCD game"!?

Question:
is it possible to create an hand-held game, similar to an LCD game, but purely by mechanical means? Electro-mechanical would also fine!

The main problem is how to visualize a video-game without a screen, but via a mechanical device?

Here are some findings about this idea:
- Produces animation without the use of lenses or electricity [source]

- Fractals can be used to generate multiple shapes shadows [source, and some theory about moire' patterns]
- Paul Overton at DudeCraft shows us how to make this cool analog "scanimation" style animation using a transparent sheet with black bars on it [video]
- The type of game I'm thinking about is this: where all the sprites are pre-drawn into an LCD screen [source]

My idea so far is to:
- take a screen similar to the initial screen of an LCD game (like here)
- make a transparent filter (like the one used in scan-line animation) that will make the character sprite appear and disappear in a specific sequence
- make a second transparent filter for the background objects, that possibly does not interfere with the first one
- now playing the game should simply be a matter of moving the filters left/right (or possibly also up/down); the player's filter should be moved by the player, while the background/enemies filter could be controlled by some mechanical timer, perhaps randomized in some way...

Mixed news

''HUMANS LEFT TREES 4.2 MILLION YEARS AGO
Wrist bones of human ancestors reveal when humans switched from living in trees to on the ground.'' [source]
''Lasers Can Chill Stuff Super Fast
Physicists proposed the idea of laser cooling 30 years ago, but until now, experiments had been largely unsuccessful and only worked with low-pressure gases. Now, German researchers have shown that bombarding high-pressure gas with a laser can produce dramatic cooling, dropping the temperature as much as 66 degrees Celsius (about 119 degrees Fahrenheit) in a matter of seconds.'' [source]
''3D Printer'' [source]
''Computer science researchers provide insight into how we understand social networking
In most cases, social network analysis today is limited to discovering friend connections, community leaders and outlines, influential people and personal friend recommendations using a static or snap-shot method. The authors say that if new factors could be taken into consideration, specifically changes across time and space, this could help social network analysis better understand why, when and how we are "friends" with people.'' [source, article]
''NASA's future
Whether or not NASA launches two or three more shuttle missions, NASA's venerable hub of operations, the Kennedy Space Center will need a new mission.'' [source]
''Astronomers claim earliest galaxy yet from Hubble
An international team of astronomers say they've glimpsed the earliest galaxy yet, a smudge of light from nearly 13.2 billion years ago — a time when the cosmos was a far lonelier place.'' [source]
''Bovine bellies yield clues for new biofuels
Researchers looking for better ways to make biofuels turned to experts at breaking down grass -- cattle -- and found more than a dozen new compounds in their guts that might help make new, cheap sources of energy. They used new genetic sequencing techniques to find microbes that make enzymes that in turn can break down tough grasses into usable products.'' [source]
''First Earth-Orbiting Solar Sail Unexpectedly Unfurls'' [source, and here]

15 Amazing Concept Printers

''Have a peek at some futuristic printers that challenge conventional ideas--including, in some cases, basic assumptions about depending on ink, toner, and paper.'' [source]

And in particular:
''Unfold build a 3d-printer based on the open source RepRap project. The printer was bought as a kit from the wonderful company Bits from Bytes with money from our NFLD2030 shareholders. Unfold plans to modify this printer so that it can perform other tricks...
Currently we are working on a toolhead that can extrude clay. After firing in a kiln you get ceramics. Follow the progress at Unfold Fab
L’Artisan Electronique is an installation commissioned by Z33 Art Centre that shows our work on printing ceramics in an interactive installation.'' [source]

L'Artisan Electronique, 3d printing ceramics from Unfold on Vimeo.

Avatar Aang, plushes, and super-deformed figures

''Avatar: The Last Paper Bender'' [source]

[source]

[source]

[source]

[source]

Avatar SD - Characters [source]

Jeeg SuperDeformed, poseable! [source]

9 doll [source]

Zaku SuperDeformed [source]

Mixed news

''Japan’s Auto Parts Makers Try to Anticipate Shift to Electric Cars'' [source]

''How Much Math Do We Really Need?'' [source]

New Avatar-related cartoon series coming soon! ''Avatar: Legend of Korra'' [source]

''FABBING A 2.5D WORLD'' [source]



''Simple, reliable 2.5D photography'' [source]

''Maze Folder'' [source]
Create a maze, and print its "origami" model! Great! (thanks Teo for the hint)

''Maze Folder'' [source]

''Why teachers drink'' [source] LOL!

I know nothing of quantum mechanics and stuff, but this image is just brilliant! [image]

Mixed news

''Magnetic Ink Turns Any Paper Into Possible Nanomachine'' [source, and here]

Acoustic Tweezers Can Position Tiny Objects [source]

''Fiat EYE – A compact personal vehicle for an easy ride on city-roads'' [source]

''NINJABREAD MEN COOKIE CUTTERS'' [source] :D :D

Acoustic Levitation

''JJ Abrams Producing Victorian Robot Movie “Boilerplate”'' [source]

3d paper puppets

DIY 3D puppets [source]

Among the others:
- Ben 10
- Obelix
- Spiderman
with free downloadable PDF for each puppet! :)

3D paper puppets

''Pellermodel Concept by Bandai for Stalkers and Puppet Masters'' [source] In Japanese!

''Where the Wild Things Are and More Printable Paper Puppets'' [source]

''Fun with Paper Toys - index of lots of paper ideas'' [source]

''Craftside blog'' [source]

[source]

''Papercraft paradise blog'' [source]
and Paper automata! [source]

''Canon paper craft'' [source]