PBS NewsHour has a double-header from science correspondent Miles O’Brien on what’s new and interesting in 3D printing.
Part one [transcript here] above explores how, with the push of a button, the emerging technology of 3D printing can produce food, plastic phone accessories, even human tissue. Miles explores how businesses and schools are creating everything from speakers to ballet shoes, as well as serious challenges and risks presented by ever-widening printing possibilities.
Among the organizations and people in this story: Shapeways, Hod Lipson at Cornell, that ATF gun, and Micah Scott, one of the happy mutants at Ardent West who modded a MakerBot with amazing results.
Part two [Transcript here]: A.J. Jacobs and his wife Julie tried to live off of 3D printed objects, including food. Their printed dinner-for-two was “weird,” A.J. Jacobs said. He described it as fancy Cheez Whiz.
Pasta and desserts I can see, but beyond that? Hmmmm.
Anyway, A.J.’s a longtime friend of Boing Boing, whom we’ve podcasted with more than once, written about on a number of occasions, and who has in turn served as a guest contributor. It’s a very fun piece, and may make you hungry for extruded food.
[Special thanks to SF Slim and Nadya Lev. Disclosure: Miles O’Brien is my valentine. ♥]