Category: Megapost
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The Better Printed Circuit Board Designer: Michael Woodworth & Adam Gravitis of Upverter
Upverter is the “Google Docs” of printed circuit boards (PCBs), allowing multiple designers to work on the same board design simultaneously. Even the manufacturer can check in to provide real-time feedback. This Canadian startup aims to replace unruly and expensive PCB software suites like EAGLE, but Michael claims their true competition is pencil and paper,…
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Collecting Botnets, Performing Data, and Social Responsibility: Jer Thorp of Office for Creative Research
The Office for Creative Research (OCR) is building the data visualizations of the future: functional, responsive, beautiful, and human. Their projects challenge conventions and trends within the field, and power and politics more broadly. Jer hopes that by tying their practices together, they can make things that have more of a footprint. They are also…
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Democratizing Production through 3D Printing: Eleanor Whitney of Shapeways
On March 18th, we toured the Shapeways 3D printing factory in Queens, New York. This 24-hour operation allows anyone to upload a 3D model and have it printed in a wide variety of materials (55+): various plastics, rubber, full-colour sandstone, lost wax metals (outsourced): gold, silver, platinum, steel, and porcelain with food-safe glaze. Their scale…
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Inventing Interaction through Play: Paul Rothman & Jordi Borras of littleBits
littleBits is the rapid prototyping and high quality educational toy for interaction design. An ambitious variety of electronic modules snap together with colourful magnetic connectors to build robots, musical instruments, toys, home automation devices, and wearables. One notable example, Ringly, a “smart ring” which vibrates and illuminates when you get a notification, raised $5.1 million…