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After reading the presentation listed in the blog topic, please comment with your thoughts on the impact this new technology may have on society. Share your thoughts on such things as benefits or challenges perceived, note how the power structure in society might change, discuss ways this technology might be abused, or discuss who will win and lose as a result of this technology.
Great presentation. Your fear of the creation of guns is too real. That could impact crime rates in the near future. I do see 3-D printers speeding up the development of prototypes in all fields which could result in cost savings. I see no limit to expressing creativity and products of our imaginations. You could make a missing dinosaur bone, make an artificial tooth, and more.
ReplyDeleteHi Keith.
ReplyDeleteI had heard about 3-D printers from a friend of mine who is taking classes to be an architect. He has been able to accomplish some amazing designs with these 3-D printers. I personally think they are amazing. I also think that if used for educational purposes, they could provide opportunities for students to manipulate objects they might never have had a change to explore otherwise.
Of course, in the wrong hands, these printers could have a negative effect on society. There is a huge copyright issue with what one should be allowed to print. Just like any great invention, someone, somewhere, can inevitably find a way to use it in a negative way. However, that hasn't stopped us from advancing our technology and shouldn't.
I think one way to monitor these devices is to place certain limitations and regulations on users of the printers. For example, perhaps they could be available only to educational institutions. Or, perhaps they can be programmed in such a way that access to them would be available only to certain people.
I do see this invention taking off. There are some issues to work out in terms of security. However, overall these devices have the potential to take education to a whole new dynamic level.
How cool would a class on 3-D Printing Design be in school? Certainly the feel of limitlessness also brings the potential for 3-D Printing being used in illegal or dangerous ways. Being honest, if I had one of these at home 10 years ago, I would be making all sorts of copyrighted figurines for my own enjoyment. So, potential losers? Toy companies for one.
ReplyDeleteHowever, teaching kids how to be original and creative in designing fun and/or useful items really seems to me to be an amazing life skill. Right now, I'm trying to keep a 84 Ford Bronco alive in the Alaskan Bush. When it breaks down (frequently), I have to wait 2-3 weeks for a part in the mail that I hope will fix it. What if I could just make the part myself through 3-D printing? The possibilities of helping people in remote locations are fantastic.
Going further, can this change our reliance on stores for goods completely? If I owned a 3-D printer and could download the plans for making metal cookware or plastic picture frames, what is that going to do to Wal Mart, Target, and other big retail stores?
That really is a bummer about your Bronco. That would be a difficult task. Are you a homesteader out there? Or do you just live outside of town?
DeleteWow. I have heard of these, but didn't fully comprehend what they were capable of. I never thought that the metal compound ones could create a gun, simply because I pictured a gun of solid metal, not with all the working parts. But in the picture you showed it created all the parts and could be assembled. That definitely is a problem in my mind!
ReplyDeleteBUT it would provide a lot of amazing educational opportunities for students. Talk about motivation to be creative, knowing that what you create could come to life right in front of you. It would be fun to think of ways to engage their minds to create specific things using this technology.
This is an amazing concept, it would be so useful in education and provide so many opportunities for creativity. This would be so useful in so many different fields of study, to be able to make samples of things. It would also be good for recreating things that we have only guessed at such as missing dinosaur bones or fossils.
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