We’ve stretched back the jowls and have devoured our share of 3D viewing tech lately, but it’s not over. There’s sunglass.io, a web-based 3D viewer, and Maide Cotrol that brings 3d model interaction to the iPhone and iPad. Now, we have another viewer that allows import, smooth 3D viewing and sharing.

p3D 3D Model Viewer

The p3d 3D viewer is a sleek, WebGL-based system with the advantage of not requiring any specialized hardware or browser plugins. All you need is a browser that supports WebGL. (Sorry IE and iOS users.)

P3d is currently in beta and while it’s pretty thin on features, you can get a free account with 50MB storage space, the options of importing OBJ files (more coming soon), different shading/wireframe modes and as you can see below, you can even embed it in an html document. Now, if your up on the WebGL news, you know it’s been criticized for security vulnerabilities. You can get up to speed on it here on the WebGL wikipedia page. Nevertheless, it continues to be developed and in our opinion, that’s a good thing.

And once he floated past the dock’s end, all scale disappeared from view. He could sense the foam, blue in it’s liquid hue, lapping against the distant rocks. A ferry’s horn creeping through the fog. Where would he hit? The light spoke. The flash blinding. There he lay in a field of white heather. Color shooting from the pores of these links.

Zeitguised – Their surreal cinematography visuals will amaze and astound you. Check this out and then proceed to their other projects. Thanks Alex!
Sci-Fi artwork – What if famous paintings were redone with a sci-fi twist. You’ve never seen it quite like this.
Kooroo – Crazy cool letterpress animal prints and wee ceramic animal sculptures. Will look great in the nursury.
Shoe Sculptures – These are not weird at all, unless you think faces spilling through the straps of a high heel are weird.
Needing/Getting – Nothing like the most awesome OK Go video ever to take you into the weekend. Thanks Dominic!

I know. You’re like, Make it Real?? Wha!? Huh?! WHHHAAAT? I prefer to make it fake. So fake that it causes people to question if it’s really not real at all. However, for those of you who actually like to ‘Make it Real’, there’s a challenge for that and it’s being put on by the boisterously brilliant crew over at Instructables. It’s the ‘Make It Real’ Challenge and among other things, you could win a $34,000 3D printer.

Instructables ‘Make It Real’ Challenge

If you’re familiar with Instructables, it’s simple. To enter, all you have to do is post instructions on how to turn a virtual item into a tangible object. BOOM. DONE. 3D printer please. As long as something in the project was designed using a computer and turned into a physical object, you are eligible to enter and win some of the expensive prizes.

This is your chance to win an Objet 3D Printer with a 6 month supply of 3D printing materials.  We’re also giving away ten Up! 3D Printers to all First Prize winners, and free 3D printing service to 20 lucky runners-up.

To enter, post an Instructable that shows how to turn a virtual item into a tangible object. Examples include: 3D printed objects, laser-cut files, and even printed decals using an inkjet printer. So long as something in your project was designed using a computer and turned into a physical object, you are eligible to enter.

If you need software to help generate design files for your project check out all of the free software packages on 123D.

Anyone who shares the digital files that they create (using any software) in the123D Gallery and posts a link to it in their Instructable will receive a free thank you gift from 123D (see details here) and then be eligible to win the special 123D Judges Prize.

Get in on the action at Instructables.

Today, Dassualy slips further into becoming the social cybernetic giant of the virtual product design world, with a few big bits of info announced today. Their revenue was up from last year, they have a new head of corporate communications and, at the same time, they’ve announced the acquisition of Internet social platform Netvibes and the forthcoming of its new 3D Experience platform. Praytell, what could this be?

3D Experience Platform

It’s extremely unclear exactly what the new 3D Experience platform is. The image above (bundled with the obscure press release) doesn’t help much either. It’s either a large grey button installed into your forearm used to battle your way through the design process or a social layer added to the V6 platform bringing in four social aspects of the process design workflow, none of which seem related to delivering fresh crepes to your doorstep. My guess? A 3D space, a virtual space, an information gather space and an information sharing space. (Update: see below for info on what the button actually is.)

“3D virtual store applications, 3D visual logistics applications, as well as easy and real-time-connected business dashboarding have already changed the way companies operate. With the launch of our 3DSwYM brand, the acquisition of Internet companies such as Exalead and Netvibes (announced today), we are further reinforcing the Social Business Apps which are part of our 3D Experience platform,” – Bernard Charlès.

Update 2/9/2012
Dassualt has put up a 3D Experience platform website that offers more information about what is going on. It’s a platform that brings all of their brands together, creating a single ’3D experience’ across all products. It’s still not clear (from the information and videos on the site) if it is a separate product creating a hub for all the applications or if it is simply an underlying product strategy.

Update 2/10/2012
Some more details from Dasssault Communications:

• DS considers “3D Experience” as the “after-PLM” stage. The more complex the underlying software is, the simpler the user experience should be.
• It’s all about optimizing products and designs in the virtual, 3D world to enable better product delivery.
• Some Ds brands make the 3D, some enrich the experience.
• The image is meant as a description of the key components of 3D Experience as DS sees it: 3D modeling, content and simulation, search, social innovation, real time 3D experience.

Dassualt (hearts) Netvibes

Do you remember Netvibes? It’s a French start-up that originally began as dashboard for your website feeds. It slowly evolved into a platform where you could access the majority of the sites you visit, adding ways to interact with people and track your interests. I have everything from news and weather to socials stats and searches. The pulse of your online activity, all nicely organized in tabs.

Netvibes allows companies to connect internal enterprise platforms, databases or systems with external cloud apps, social feeds and live sentiment monitoring to create a real-time dashboard. Netvibes also helps more than 4 million people each month to create intelligent dashboards to manage their daily digital lives.

The acquisition seemed odd at first, but Netvibes CEO Freddy Mini says it makes sense for to connect what people say about a product to the design process through the Netvibes dashboard. The pulse of your product design activity? Nicely organized into tabs? Now, that makes a little more sense. How Dassault will finally implement this? Who knows.

PR:
Netvibes acquisition
3D experience platform

Have you ever been sitting in a presentation of a product you designed, screaming inside your head at the person giving the presentation as they fumble through moving your model about? Those days are at an end, my friend. Maide has released the CadRemote iPhone app that gives you (and anyone else you deem worthy) total control over the movement of your model on screen.

Maide CadRemote

It doesn’t get more simple. Maide CadRemote give you complete control over the movement of your model. This is so cool for so many reasons and the control is very responsive. Beyond your ability to pan and rotate your model over wifi, it allows other people to interact with the model, granted they have the app, and allows both of you to sketch over the screen. Currently the app supports direct interaction with the Solidworks, Maya, 3DS Max, Sketchup and Rhino interface. Camera control is in the free app, with an in-app purchase for control of your mouse, and sketching functionality.

The iPhone will connect to all the same programs the iPad would connect with (Solidworks, Sketchup, Maya, 3DS Max, and Rhino). You can now use the iPhone and iPod to navigate 3D models, pull renders, and sketch over top of the main screen. This is great when you’re doing creative sessions with someone else, because you can draw on their screen.

Features:

• Pan, orbit, and zoom your 3D model for slick presentations
• Connect multiple iPhones and iPads to the same model for collaborative viewing
• Quickly save screenshots of your models to your iPhone for easy sharing
• Sketch on top of your screenshots
• Use your iPhone screen as a trackpad to control your mouse cursor
• Standardizes basic controls across all supported 3D applications
• Quick auto-connect for frequently used connections
• Only authorized people can connect to your computer
• Connects to your computer via Wi-Fi or ad hoc network

download CadRemote (iTunes)
CadControl (iTunes)

Via Maide Blog

“This post is from our new guest blogger, JF Brandon. He works with Enrico Dini and the DShape. He likes 3D Printing, Naïve Architecture, Open Source, Mass Customization and Hockey. He lives in Vancouver, Canada.”

I’ve seen a lot of videos promising a desktop 3D printer in every home, as ubiquitous as the inkjet. One statement-as-fact I hear is, “Instead of replacing a whole product or appliance, you’ll replace the broken part with a print made by your 3D printer.” Sure, your washing machine is broken. Replace the part. But this is a simplistic way of thinking. There is… so much more.

The Devil is in the Details

I’ll give you an example. My refrigerator has a problem. The plastic bar that holds all the jars of pickles and olives is broken. So, find and print the part right? Fine. I look online, but my fridge is old, probably pre-dates MTV and Thriller and the company does not exist. The chances there are CAD design parts are close to nil. So why don’t I design something? Okay, I take measurements and find I’ll need multiple parts to fit the small desktop printer. I consider materials to use, where to split it, how to join them together… Goodness, this is annoying. And then I think, “Maybe I should just buy a used fridge online for $100.” Wouldn’t that save me time and money?

Timing is everything

We like to think we can fix things if it seems like we can do it. If a lot of parts are irreplaceable, and we can print any part, personal 3D Printing seems a natural fit. Personal 3D printing fulfills the “See-it, love-it, want-it, now-I-have-it” mentality we have – 3D printing is an (almost) instant gratifier. But having a 3D printer also means you want to make things that address the problem. We all know that takes time, effort with a lot of trial and error before we have a final design. All of it takes time, that nobody has, to design and print, or even replicate, anything with the currently available tools.

The Printshop has the Experts

Now, a more likely future of 3D printing is not a 3D printer in every house, but 3D printers, laser cutters and other machinery in shops just down the street. Many people may choose to go to these shops to use 3D printing, but not necessarily for something they have designed. As my example goes, I may simply take the broken part to Jimmy’s 3D Printshop or give him the shattered remnants of my fridgeshelf. He scans the part, stitches it back together on his computer, reprints it and gives me the new part – And I bet Jimmy could do it one day. Hell, he might even reuse the broken part as the recycled, raw material for the print.

Sure, I could buy a nice desktop 3D printer, but do I have the time to leverage it fully? It’s an aspect of the industry really lacking consideration among 3D printing companies. Of course, addressing it is not that easy to do – 3D scanning is still expensive as are high quality 3d prints. The hobby market remains an attractive option because of growing interest and the need for custom parts. This video by nueveojos for the “Labratori de Fabricació” of Barcelona explains the future possibilities of 3D printing and the fab shop perfectly. In all likelihood, useful 3D printing is going to be overwhelmingly shop-based and just down the road.

Image: nueveojos

I’m sure you have been tempted to switch from your iPhone to an Android, but are saddened by the lack of 3D CAD apps on the market, yes? Me? I’m happy with 1982 Motorola DynaTAC 8000X, but now that TurboViewer Pro is available, I’m thinking of taking the open platform plunge. IMSI design launched the TurboViewer 2D/3D CAD app today. It’s got loads of model and layer management features, plus an introductory price to boot.

3D CAD for Android

You may remember seeing TurboViewer Pro for the iPad. Turboviewer Pro for Android brings the same functionality to Android devices and is the first and only 2D/3D CAD viewer (that I know of) on the platform. TurboViewer Pro v1 for Android rings in at an introductory price of $9.99 and you can snag it on the Android Market. They also have a Free version for both iOS and Android.

TurboViewer Pro for Android includes everything in TurboViewer, plus:

• Hidden line
• X-ray
• Shaded
• Shaded with edges
• Grayscale mode
• Adjust edge color range from white-gray-black
• Adjust x-ray transparency factor
• Option to use default or model lights (if any in drawing)
• Option to render both inside and outside model (force two-sided rendering)
• Layer Manager (turn on/off layers, invert layers, turn all layers on/off)
• Additional settings (turn on/off 2D/3D autosense navigation, option to use two fingers to 3D rotate/tumble or constrain orbit, etc.
• No onscreen advertising

Here’s a quick video of the functionality being shown on a iPad.

Let’s just say one day your old, decrepit body needs a piece replaced – a hip, a skullcap, maybe a kneecap or two. Having bits of bone replaced is fairly common, but for the first time ever, an 83 year old woman has a new jaw… a custom 3D printed titanium jaw. The University of Hasselt in Belgium recently made the announcement of the procedure that took place last June.

First 3D Printed Jaw Transplant

The company creating the jaw replacement is Belgium-based additive manufacturer Layerwise. They constructed the jaw using thousands of titanium powdered layers sintered into the custom shape.

Using 3D printing technology, less materials are needed and the production time is much shorter than traditional manufacturing. The mandible was finally given a bioceramic coating compatible with the patient’s tissue by BioCeramics in Leiden. The artificial jaw weighs 107 grams, it is only 30 grams heavier than a natural jaw, but the patient can easily get used to it.

The operation was performed in June last year in the hospital in Sittard-Geleen. One day later the lady could start talking and swallowing.- 3Ders.org

Prof. Dr. Jules Poukens of the University Hasselt said of the breakthrough,

“The implant integrates multiple functions, including dimples increasing the surface area, cavities promoting muscle attachment, and sleeves to lead mandible nerves. Furthermore, the mandible implant is equipped to directly insert dental bar and/or bridge implant suprastructures at a later stage.”

Thanks to everyone who sent this in!

via BoingBoing
Source & Images: Layerwise

If there was ever any 3D cad app that could be compared with smooth, silky melted butter, TinkerCAD would be the one. If you’ve not experienced it yet, you must. You simply must. The web-based, 3D modeling app is out with a new version and it’s just about everything you would want and expect in a easy-to-use 3D modeling app. And from the looks of it, they’ve laid the foundation for 3D apps to come.

Tinkercad

The first version of Tinkercad was amazing-ing-ing. This one, even more so. The beauty of Tinkercad is, not only that it’s a responsive web-based 3D app, but that it has the basic functionality you would find in other 3D apps. Particularly, how you interact with the geometry. In many ways, it’s better. It’s certainly smoother and more simple, to the point I wonder why other 3D modeling software is so complicated. You have basic shapes and drag & drop movement with ultra-smooth control. The object interaction is beautiful. Each object has control points to adjust size and orientation, plus it snaps and scales with use of the SHIFT key. It’s simple enough for novice modelers with enough to keep the advanced modeler interested.

They have more focus on the 3D print possibilities with the ability to immediately send your model to Shapeways, imaterialise or Ponoko. You also have the option of downloading the .stl to print or modify yourself.

As functional as it is however, there are more features it could use. Things I’d like to see are context menus, geometry modifiers (like fillets, chamfers, etc.), surface controls and export. I have no doubt they are considering features like this and more to delight and surprise our 3D making senses. I’d also be surprised if they make it the rest of the year without being acquired. Definitely, give it a try.