Posted on 03/15/2013 5:51:48 AM PDT by marktwain
Defense Distributed is creating a searchable database for 3D printed objects that others wish to suppress. The intent of the database has expanded far beyond 3D printed firearms, though firearms are still a focus of their efforts.
The vision of a free and open source of 3D printable objects extends far beyond what is possible today, taking us into the realms of what is possible in the foreseeable future, when additive technology will reach down to the nanoscale level.
At that point, it will be possible to create nearly anything that is possible under the constraints of the existing universe. Drugs? Designer organs? Armed drones the size of Mosquitoes?
All are possible within known constraints.
Cody Wilson and Defense Distributed’s vision is to make sure that everyone has access to all such information. You can see his presentation of their vision at the link.
The presentation is a little less than three minutes long and works well for those with modest Internet connections. It has limited video.
Link to Defense Distributed Presentation
©2013 by Dean Weingarten Permission to share granted as long as this notice is included.
How about 3d printed ink cartridges?
Or 3d printed Otter Box cases?
Or anything else that is overpriced and taxed?
The basic cartridge would not be a problem ... any metal work or electronics complicates things. Then, of course, there's the ink.
Or 3d printed Otter Box cases?
Should be feasible.
Or anything else that is overpriced and taxed?
The neat thing about 3D CAD software is that it lets anyone be a designer. Some packages are relatively inexpensive.
We have a ways to go to get there. There are clear steps to molecular scale fabrication, but a lot of “engineering” has to be developed to go there.
I do not know how long it will take. 10 years? 20 years? 100 years? Some people predicted that it would already have happened.
We have made enormous progress, but we still have quite a ways to go.
I am 65 and I want a 3D printer. The future is unlimited as it gets perfected. Technology moves on and those that don’t embrace it will be left behind.
I want a 3D printed time machine - to make sure the Democratic Party never comes into existence!...oh, and the Banks don’t control everything...that would be nice...
Some have speculated that time machines might be possible, but all involve extreme amounts of mass and energy far, far beyond any current abilities.
In fact, I would postulate that they are far beyond abilities that are speculated for nanotechnology, though nanotechnology could put them on the edge of the doable.
So which is going to show up first - a 3D printer capable of producing metallic objects or that flying car the Jetson’s owned (and you were promised 60 years ago)?
3D printers that produce metal parts already exist: http://production3dprinters.com/slm/direct-metal-slm
Woohoo.
Can we print a plague nanobot?
ARCAM AB is a Swedish company that makes 3D printers with electron beams and titanium powder to create aerospace items and prosthetics. The future is here.
“Can we print a plague nanobot?”
Not yet. The only defense that I see is to have the technology so widely spread that defenses against it are developed along with the technology, much like we have seen with the Internet and computer viruses.
The real danger is if the technology is suppressed except for a few governments who develope it in secret. Then the danger would be a breakthrough in one country that would give it an advantage over all others that would be insurmountable.
Pure speculation right now.
You know, back in the last century I came across something that I *think* was a social experiment. But I’m still not sure. The datapoints are here somewhere, on very, very old backup tapes.
It was a project called “Le Visiteur”, and it was seeking volunteer scientists - microbiologists, physisicts amd nanotech people. The goal would be to develop a nanobot virus to wipe out humanity. The payment: getting the code to be among the survivors.
The experiment? ran for a few months, then they announed that they had all they needed.
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