The event takes place 14-16 April 2011, in Marion, Ohio. It a great competition that focuses on education and differs from other robotic competitions in a number of ways. Low costs, no specific kit, and the inclusion of competitors from 6th grade thru graduate school make it truly unique.

“National Robotics Challenge began as the Society of Manufacturing Engineers Robotic Technology and Engineering Challenge in1986, under the guidance and inspiration of Tom Meravi, Associate Professor from Northern Michigan University and the late Dr. James Hannemann. The competitions developed into one of the premier robotics and engineering events in the nation. Tragically, Dr. Hannemann passed away suddenly in July 2001, and in 2003, SME announced that the organization was unable to continue sponsorship of the event.

Most thought that this was the end, but as with all things, every end can be a new beginning. This new beginning was realized by three educators from Marion, Ohio. On the bus ride from Rochester to Marion, Ed Goodwin, Ritch Ramey, and Tad Douce discussed the possibilities and support that existed in their community for this type of event. In 2004 the name was changed from SME/RTEC to the National Robotics Challenge. From its humble beginning, with two work cells and two pick and place competitions, the competition now offers twelve robotics contests.”

FULL PRINTED by nueve ojos
Directed by Carles Mora and Mariona Omedes
Post Production by Carles Mora, Mariona Omedes, Karin du Croo, Jordi Ferrera y Josep Mª Balada
Music by Micka Luna

Photofly allows users to easily create 3D models from photographs using the cloud, Autodesk says. It “brings the possibility of reality capture to designers, creative artists and engineers who didn’t have the resources or expertise for image-based modeling, and expedites the process for those who are used to spending endless hours manually stitching together images to create a 3D model”

Photofly “brings the possibility of reality capture to designers, creative artists and engineers” the company says, “and expedites the process for those who are used to spending endless hours manually stitching together images to create a 3D model.”

via Autodesk Labs.

“1,200 custom-designed cars race around the large scale sculpture metropolis II by artist Chris Burden. The piece will soon be exhibited at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art on a long-term loan. The huge kinetic sculpture contains a massive roadway in which the small toy cars race around. The road system contains 18 lanes with 13 toy trains and a variety of buildings made from lego and lincoln logs. The whole system is designed to mimic a real freeway, as you will see in the video below.”

Can you imagine seeing something like this when you were nine or ten? It would have kept me up at night.

[via designboom]

Team Associated make some of the world’s best radio controlled cars and trucks. Now they want to make the world’s fastest r/c car! It seems impossible but they aim to take a relatively small remote controlled car into the realm of full-size hyper cars such as Bugatti and Ferrari by touching the 200 mph threshold. Check out the teaser video…

Students at at the University of Bologna are using 3D printing technology to prototype exciting new directions in architecture for their thesis project.

The model above was made to explore curvature driven porosity:

“Surface tessellation depends on curvature radius: strating from this simple principle a family of tessellations (with different parameter values) was produced and from the selected model holes were produced by percentage of vertex-to-vertex distance.” (see the Flickr photostream by Ale2x72)

Ideas like this can be quickly built using additive manufacturing techniques to determine if the design is viable and small scale versions of very large elements can be built for proof of concept.

via BLDGBLOG

“The printer is meant to be used in regenerative medicine. Instead of borrowing body parts from someone else — or yourself — the printer will just make a new part for you. The printer is loaded with cartridges of “bio-ink” a substance that acts as a kind of scaffolding for the cells to retain their shape. A sophisticated computer is linked to the printer that is pre-programmed with the 3D blueprint of whatever is being made. The computer instructs the printer to lay down two dimensional layers of bio ink and cells that eventually form into the 3D body part.

With the successful printing of a human vein, the scientists are looking forward to moving on to larger organs. Though the printing of an entire lung or heart is far off, the technology has been proven to be viable.”

via inhabit

The Economist has a great write-up on printing body parts as well.

“A 3-D printer, which has nothing to do with paper printers, creates an object by stacking one layer of material — typically plastic or metal — on top of another, much the same way a pastry chef makes baklava with sheets of phyllo dough.

The technology has been radically transformed from its origins as a tool used by manufacturers and designers to build prototypes.

These days it is giving rise to a string of never-before-possible businesses that are selling iPhone cases, lamps, doorknobs, jewelry, handbags, perfume bottles, clothing and architectural models. And while some wonder how successfully the technology will make the transition from manufacturing applications to producing consumer goods, its use is exploding.”

[via The New York TImes]

The Titan (sporting a seriously intimidating MAKE-PARTS.com sticker on the backend) won four of their six matches and finished in an impressive 3rd Place. Congrats on the podium finish!