Dita Von Teese models the world's first fully articulated dress created with a 3-D printer.
Civilization has reached a point where there's not much that can't be done with technology. Sure, we're still generations away from some of the stuff we've been hoping for as seen on
"Star Trek" and
"Back to the Future II," but I'd say our big brains are doing alright. Case in point: the rise of 3-D printing.
If you haven't heard much about the technology that allows people to turn a digital model into a three-dimensional, solid object, that's going to change. (
See what a 3-D printer looks like in action here.) I'm starting to see a huge amount of stories about how this technology is being used, and it's already got a diverse range of applications.
At one end of the spectrum is a competition launching today as part of Austin's South by Southwest festival (yes, it's more than just music). The
3D Rocket Engine Design Challenge asks competitors to design an engine capable of sending a small payload into orbit. The designs will be printed in a stainless steel 3-D printer, at which point they'll actually fire up - these aren't just models. Watch a 3-D printed rocket engine in action:
Right up there with rocket science is the potential for medical applications of 3-D printing. Earlier this week, a man had 75 percent of his skull replaced with a 3-D printed implant - making him the pioneer of the implant made by Connecticut firm Oxford Performance Materials. The company's CEO said 3-D printing allows any type of bone to be replaced with an implant made of PEKK, biocompatible polymer that won't interfere with X-rays. So mister unidentified-skull-transplant-guy should be able to get through airport security with only the usual amount of hassle.
On the fun side of the 3-D printing application spectrum is fashion. I've read about sneakers being innovated with the technology, and at Paris Fashion Week this year, two
3-D printed garments walked the runway during Iris van Herpen's show. Well, the models did the walking - with difficulty. As you can imagine, a dress made from hardened plastic is bound to be stiff.
But this week, 3-D printed fashion got a little friendlier thanks to burlesque star and model Dita Von Teese. She showed off a gown designed for her that is the world's first 3-D printed garment that's fully articulated (which means it has thousands of joints that let the dress bend and move with the body). Design studios Francis Bitonti and Michael Schmidt are to be commended for figuring out how to make 3-D printed fashion feminine and sexy.
If you're really interested in learning more about 3-D printing, check out your local Fab Lab - the Hardesty Center for Fab Lab Tulsa has a 3-D printer for members. The costs to use it, however, can be prohibitive. The technology has gotten cheaper in the past couple years, but if you want to design and fabricate your own 3-D-printed car or couch or personal companion, be ready for a hefty price tag.
