HIDDEN at the back of the Science Museum is a three-dimensional printer that can create objects including a pen, a light and an orange squeezer from pieces of metal and plastic has gone on display at the Science Museum.
Its inventors hope that one day, the printer could be a feature of every home, and allow shoppers to customise their purchases in store. It works by using a powerful laser to melt powdered plastic to bond together and build up into a desired three-dimensional shape. The only hitch is the time it takes: two hours per inch of plastic. However, several objects can be printed at a time.
Dr Siavash Mahdavi of Digital Forming, the firm behind the exhibit, insisted the 3D printer will be commonplace in the future. “There are an incredible number of uses for this,” he said. “For instance, we believe shops could install these systems and let users create their own ITEMs like jewellery and even clothes or shoes. You can effectively customise the design in terms of shape, colour and texture, then print out your purchase.”
Visitors to the Science Museum over the next three days will be invited to design a range of objects, including a pen, a light and an orange squeezer.
Telegraph (Thanks Tash)
I have seen this printer in action and its amazing, it should surely be a product that I can see for sale all over the world, just imagine the possibilities, you get to design your own things and then print them afterwards.
Since this one only deals with metal, I have seen also a prototype of two more printers that do the same but also work with more materials.
Hidden item eh?
Product designers exist for a reason – they spend time designing things that are easy to use. If everybody can design their own stuff, it may be “convenient” but everything will be shit! (except for the stuff made by a talented few)
Did I just spot a secret message in your blog? Upper-case words in recent posts spell out LOOK FOR HIDDEN ITEMs.
This sounds like ‘Rapid Prototyping’ technology to me. I actually work indirectly with these things often. We use it to make skull models from CT scans which surgeons can then use to fit titanium plates for cranioplasty. One of a great many uses which go from medicine to just having a laugh!
I thought I was being clever, but it looks as though Andy Diggle beat me to the hidden message thing!
— Nope!
Phillis
Speaking of hidden items, has anyone noticed that at the very bottom left of this blog, there is a tiny hidden smiley?
(yay!) but can it produce mini derren figures?
hmmm i think brown towers is replying to my last post!! lol i asked if these capitalisations mean anything….and they have answered, woop!
LOOK FOR HIDDEN ITEMS…TEA LOST FINDING TINY MASSIVE…..oooh
thanks phillis
Even if I look for hidden items, I bet I don’t find them. Doh.
@80s Craig…oh yes! very observant of you…i think that alone deserves a prize! lol
Thanks Debs. As it happens, I think I deserve a prize too!
It’s just a shame that neither you nor I are in charge of such things…..
I agree, you should have a prize for that. Surprised no one’s noticed it before, though, it’s not new is it?
Either way, a good find Craig
Interesting technology. I wonder if it will ever catch on? It could create the potential for counterfeit items being available to download and ‘print out’.
Has anyone else noticed the face twister on derrenbrown.co.uk ?
I’ve been playing with it for a bit, I wonder if there’s a hidden code in there?
if you take the names from the bottom of each article (last two),as in ‘thanks…’one is Tiram and the other is Ferkle, this makes an anagram of ‘Free Art’ but leaves ‘Milk’ left over…..;)
Have seen one of these 3D plastic resin printers at a prototype toy manufacturers I visited. It’s currently no more than a very slow 3D photocopier, where you have to scan the prototype in first, and the finished result has a pixilated finish which needs sanding down. Haven’t seen a version where you put in a flat design and it prints it out, though it can’t be far off.
The possibilities for drunken office parties could be revolutionary!
Sounds as if it will be faster and def. cheaper to run to a shop to fetch what you need then huh. It does not sound like a printer but a normal machine that makes something. Nothing to do with 3D printing I’d say.
“Tiram Ferkle” is an anagram of “milk a ferret”
@James Houston… no one is allowed to interfere there, it´s Derren in private-time
You can buy and make your own affordable 3d printer, from http://www.makerbot.com, currently leaders in the rep rap project , which they hope will lead to self replicating robot machines, which could be used to make tools/utensils/furniture/housing in third world countries, currently mostly used to create plastic shot glasses, and novelty items. **note** some soldering required!! ooh and some programming knowledge, oh and some making skills, and some patience, always wear safety goggles!!!
@chris – you can also make “a ferret milk” or “market rifle”!
I was wondering about those names too… some posts have them, some don’t, and “Tiram” has been credited a couple of times now. The names don’t seem to appear in any comments/text in the linked articles either (thought they could be markers of some sort).
I did spot the smiley down the bottom a little while ago and is it seemed to hold no significance (well not that I could see)so I chose to ignore it. Wonder why it’s there??
LC x
@ 80′s Craig
Well spotted indeed… although, I don’t think it’s been there all along.
The ‘White space’ at the bottom of the page appears to have become larger at some point. From what I can remember anyway… but what do I know.
@ James Houston
Hmmm… interesting site you have there, haha.
Big ideas eh?
Sometimes it’s the little ideas that can make a big difference… well if you believe they can anyway
Peace People!
@80′s Craig – Cor, well spotted… though that smiley appears to be a counter for collecting stats on page hits, etc. Cute though!
Right… if I were a hidden item, where would I hide? Interesting that it’s singular, it could’ve been “ITEMS”…
I’m currently studying architecture and must say this isn’t the first time I’ve heard of a 3d printer. A lot of the big firms have on for producing scale models. If only us students could get our hands on one… Waking up to models glued to your face isn’t much fun…
@James Houston – It’s what you can do with Derren’s mouth on his site that makes me laugh!
LC x
Maybe there is no hidden item, it is just an attempt to control us all, as now we are all actively looking for the ‘hidden item’……..
All this talk of tea & hidden messages reminds me of Ulysses by James Joyce.
See if you can see the naughty hidden words:
If you see Kay,
Tell him he may.
See you in tea,
Tell him from me.
Hint: read the passage aloud.
LairyT could be onto somethin there! ;o)
Remember:
———————
Don’t get mad… get even! haha XD
and
Don’t have nightmares… DO sleep well
D
Tiny massive finding does not lost, ahem not lost tea. Look for hidden items.
Thank God, for a second there I thought the tea had been lost, phew.
Nom nom nom.. time for tea and biscuits.
On a serious note, (well as serious as I can get when commenting!) I think the \’hidden item\’ will be in the October 2008 archive, as it seems to have gone a little bit hidden.
Also, Phillis did say on Facebook, she did find something in the archive when she was \’Spring Cleaning\’ the blog.
That\’s my best guess anyway.
Back to my tea and biscuits.
Nom.
Maybe there isn’t an actual October archive …
I still think there’s something in the archive ‘somewhere.’
Maybe.
I’ll look when I have the time.
Having check the source code…oooooh yeah, technology skills…the Smiley face seems to be some sort of Google tracker/hit count sorta thing. Doesn’t seem to do much else
*sigh*
I meant “having checkED”…
Sorry about that
Putting a hidden thing, just for my own amusement, is the sort of thing I often do myself! (Hidden somewhere on my site at the moment is a rubiks cube you can use your mouse to play with) Shame the smiley face wasn’t Derrens doing!
I always get the feeling I’m missing something when I read all the hidden clues on here. I’m sure there is much that I am missing out on…..
Look for hidden items…hmm.
And I wonder what would happen if we could all design our own pens (and other various small plastic-y thingys). I suppose all those people out there who design pens (do they exist?) would be out of jobs. I can just see it now….”But-but, I came up with the comfort grip! I’m famous, I tell you!”
Ah, this blog has boggled my brain. Off to look for hiddent items, drink tea, and find something lost.
@Craig – I couldn’t find the Rubik’s Cube, just had a quick look
Give me a clue!
What I’m wondering is, is it something that’s ALREADY hidden, or something that’s GOING to be hidden? I suppose that’s for us to figure and work out, yes?
LC x
@Colin @chris
oh… I\’m so flattered that you think I\’m part of the puzzle… or wait… maybe I am….?
@ James Houston
Funny! haha 8^D
@ Everyone else.
Enjoy searching 8^)… don’t forget to tell the rest of us when you’ve found that elusive white rabbit 8^b
Oh yeah… don’t lose too much SLEEP over it though will ya
X^* zzZZZ
Peace People!
x
Well, that has solved the world’s orange squeezer problem, hasn’t it?
Ok this is driving me crazy! The only thing i can come up with to HIDDEN ITEM LOOK FOR TEA and TINY MASSIVE, is the clip of Richard Wiseman inviting us for tea with the tiny and massive tea cups. I swear Alice had it easy in Wonderland……
I use one of these printers. I use it to show my customers prototpye products before they invest lots of money in injection mould tools!
The printer cost about £20k and my 3D CAD software cost about £10k!!!! Not quite in many houshold budgets yet, but when I was trialing the machine I was thinking it is a bit like the replicators in Star Trek.
One of my old companies was working on prototype nano-tech products about 5 years ago! Maybe in a few years we will have replicators at home!
@Enigma – I’m sure you’ll find it if you PLAY around enough at HOME.
Now Lady Claire has me worried….. What if it’s something that isn’t yet hidden yet, and I’ve already spent my allocated amount of curiosity?
I did notice something odd about a post a week or so back. There was a link in it that, when clicked, opened a duplicate window of itself.
I still don’t get what’s happening on derren’s website? Interference?
1a.The act or an instance of hindering, obstructing, or impeding.
1b. Something that hinders, obstructs, or impedes.
2a. The inhibition or prevention of clear reception of broadcast signals.
2b. The distorted portion of a received signal.
3. The negative or distorting effect that new learning can have on previous learning or that previous learning can have on new learning.
Why is he impeding/hindering/obstructing/preventing the clear reception of our metaphorical broadcast signalling/negatively distorting us? : D
can someone please figure this out soon, im going insane and spending way too much time thinking about it! my husband found my list of capitalised words and thinks ive lost the plot lol
Aaaaaah!
That front page scares me.
Are we supposed to get a particular mix of eyes and mouth?
@80s Craig
I know the exact same one, the Saturday 1.45am one.
I have no idea about that but it\’s annoying the hell out of me!
@Fraser
I\’ve thought about that too, maybe the site is down for maintenance?
@Fraser: never mind all that, what I want to know is, why is he staring at me from that website while pulling faces? What did I ever do to him? It’s totally uncalled for and I will be writing a stiff letter to the BBC about it.
(Double post, sorry)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/aug/26/channel-4-autumn-season
Here’s a very brief, but rather specific overview of The Events, mentioned in the Channel 4 3D broadcast schedule article:
“Derren Brown will return with The Events, which will see each episode focus on an underlying theme – to trick, to win, to fool and to control. Viewers will also be able to interact and participate.”
Also (But we knew this already):
“He will also take part in Channel 4′s special week of 3D programming – Derren Brown’s 3D Magic Spectacular will see the illusionist “play host to some of the world’s greatest, funniest and most shocking magicians performing magic specially shot in stunning 3D”.”
@Craige-This may be me being dim but I can find the smiley can you help us out. Also, something you may find interesting, I noticed on the events page in the top right there’s a blacked out flash object. I did mention it on the facebook page but I was told they couldn’t see it. I don’t know yet if anybody else has seen it but if you want to take a look its on the top right near to the events title. Just to be clear I mean the page your led to from the stucktoyoursofa site. They suggested it may be a browser setting causing it but I don’t think there are ant settings that could add anything to a web page particularly a flash object.
Because he’s the anti-christ as established some posts back.
The anti-christ: best thing to ever come out of Croydon.
hmm Re: the funny face thing. the link at the top saying click here doesnt do anything so maybe you DO have to have a particular combo of eyes and mouth to activate the link.
i think ill leave it someone else to try though as it could take forever to get the right combo….i wont even bother workin out the probability of gettin it right!
x
oh and as for the viewer participation in the events, i reckon we are all going to get “stuck to your sofa” !
x
My ears (errr, or should that be eyes…) are burning and I’m still confused!
You guys and your anagrams though, bet yer dead good at Countdown.
Maybe the hidden item is in Richard Wiseman’s box. I still have no idea what that was all about. Was it ever revealed?
@Pretty Much Everyone It’s pretty darn confusing! To be honest, he’s probably just redoing his site, and loving the fact he’s driving everyone insane.
From the sourcing on the page, no combination of faces will do anything, but feel free to try! I aswsume it’s just something to keep the fans happy whilst hes changing it.
Although I did nearly get very excited when i found a random link in there, turned out to be nothing!
How long has the interference page been there? I’m sure I went on his original website last week but now I can’t seem to get to it.
@CJ
It’s been on there from today.
You can still see the cached pages, but if you try the actual links, they’re all offline.
The only other thing I’ve noticed (what with many a link to Richards blog) is the constant references to Tea and Eyes. Two blogs on here are about tea (both about other peoples blogs) and the eye competition here, the new post on RW’s site, evaluating your level of emotion with a pair of eyes, and the hidden word TEA in the post about RW.
Oh yeah, and the clues to RW with 59 seconds in the picture of the Posters, the various mentions of him up and down the site.
It’s too confusing!
@Snow – it’s here, at the very bottom – http://giggl.co.uk/media/blogs/a/derrensmile.jpg . I can’t see a blacked-out flash object on the sofa site, or the C4 one that it leads to though.
@Aime – YES! That MUST have a use! Why do it otherwise?!?
@Craig – No worries on the smiley. I found it. It was being blocked by my ad blocker. It is from google analytics so I assume it is some kind of counter. I’d still be interested to here your view (and anybody elses view) on the blacked out flash object on the Events web page that you are directed to when you click on the links in the stucktoyoursofa site. I think it may be a countdown clock that will start up nearer the ‘events’ but who knows?
I am aware this is about my fourth post in 20 minutes, but the source code on The Events homepage says a variety of things as keywords, such as ‘fool’, ‘control’, and most interestingly of all, ‘illumina’.
What is ‘illumina’?
A quick search gives me this:
This breakthrough platform is based on massively parallel sequencing of millions of fragments using our proprietary reversible terminator-based sequencing chemistry.
I just saw the words ‘sequencing millions’ and ‘reversible’.
Very confusing…
@Fraser: Talking of TEA…look how mnany recent blogs ‘mention’ tea? Without actually mentioning tea:
http://derrenbrownart.com/blog/?s=+tea
Hmmm.
This is getting very very confusing!
Discovered a small smiley face at the bottom of Richard Wiseman’s Blog though …
There are 216 (that’s two hundred and sixteen) combinations of the face on the index page now of derrenbrown.co.uk.
Has anyone tried them all?
@Fraser – illumina is also the agency who created the derrenbrown teaser site – check out http://www.illumina.co.uk
Its very late at night and I can’t be bothered to read through all the above comments… but architects (and probably other professions) have access to 3D printers and have done for a few years now. This isn’t anything special, it’s just slightly more adapted for consumerism.
Just scrolling up now actually, noticed an architecture student.
@Phil – the Bartlett School of Architecture at UCL have invested in one (only know this because my ex-bf just graduated his masters from there and he used it a year or two ago) perhaps you should pester your school to get one!
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/news-articles/0805/08051604 that was using the 3D printer.
@Helen C – Cheers Helen! Bartlett seems to be a great school. We recieved a lecture by a head tutor from there, Niall McLaughlin, last year here in Dublin and it was well recieved by both students and staff. Unfortunately our school’s budget can barely afford a room to put us in (and not even an adequate room at that), nevermind getting us a 3D printer!
A man can dream though!
its an awesome product… amazing technology. Thanks for info..
While searching for some information on 3D print, I came across an interesting article titled “3D View of Patent Enforcement”. It is very informative and well written article. To read more please check: http://www.sinapseblog.com/2010/12/eto-know-more-about-intellectual.html