This week’s class was a very informative one. During our class session, we were fortunate enough to have 4 different speakers to join us in class. The speakers were: Illini Service Dogs, John Hornick, Jeff Ginger, and Mehmet Aydin. Each of them touched on a different aspect of the 3D printing. First, Illini Service Dogs as one of our clients gave a presentation on possible ideas that we can work and develop on as a project. Next, John Hornick, the author who wrote 3D Printing Will Rock the World, joined us virtually with the help of online video software Zoom. His presentation focused mainly on the applications of 3D printing and some trends the technology is headed towards. For me, the most fascinating part of his presentation was on how hospitals and medical schools are now investing in technology which will enable us to print organic tissues, bone structures and even organs in the future. I think that this is a really exciting technology as it will no doubt improve the lives of millions and possibly put an end to the horrific organ harvesting crimes. After that, we have Jeff Ginger who is in charge of the Fab Lab in Champaign-Urbana community. Jeff was a very energetic speaker and he shared mostly creative and inspirational moments in his and his student’s life. After his presentation, I am really looking forward to visit the Fab Lab and start to put my ideas into physical products. Lastly, TA Mehmet Aydin guided us on our thinking process in his presentation. I particularly enjoyed his example of the MRI machine for children. I agree that it is important to shape the experience of your clients to fit the purpose of the product.
To wrap up this week, I think it is really awesome that we continue to get different voices to share their take on 3D printing or creative thinking. My team and I have gathered a lot of information during our research phase and is excited for the direction we are headed in.
Hi Ruei! I also found John Hornick’s point about 3D printing organic tissue very interesting. While any innovations in this space would certainly help save a lot of people’s lives, I think it also brings up many pertinent ethical and legal questions. This scenario is a great example of how new technologies sometimes can pose more questions than they answer.