Artists, designers and architects are constantly rethinking ways to use 3D printers. For example, Dutch researcher Tim Zaman has developed a printing technique that reproduces painted masterpieces, capturing every detail, including brush strokes. Many art museums, including the Art Institute of Chicago, are building massive libraries of 3D exhibits, which will allow anyone to print miniature masterpiece sculptures for their home.
Some of the more unusual applications of 3D printing include the Foodini, a kitchen appliance that prints food to the plate. You can print out delicacies from pizza to chocolate figures.
If you enjoy tinkertoys or Legos, you might be interested in architect Alastair Parvin’s creation, Wikihouse. These are free house plans that use the 3D computer program SketchUp to print out all the parts for a house using a CNC router and plywood. Locally, the Chicago Artchitecture Foundation has printed out 3D models of all the buildings downtown. The exhibit takes up 320 square feet and includes more than a thousand buildings.
Mechanical engineer Chris Fenton used a 3D printer to create a hand-cranked computer called the Turbo Entabulator. The machine calculates fibonacci sequences. The faster you turn the crank, the faster it computes the answers.
Finally, have you ever wondered what the Barbie doll would look like if she were anatomically correct? Artist Nikolay Lamm created one using a 3D printer with the average measurements of a real 19-year-old girl. It will be interesting to see all the ways 3D printing will change our lives and the way we see the world.
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