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Contributor: Glyneva Bradley-Ridout

Here at the MADlab, we utilize polylactic acid (PLA) filament in our 3D printers, which is a strong plastic capable of many uses. But what can you do when you want to create a more flexible object?

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Well, a solution has emerged! You can create silicone objects though 3D printing molds in PLA, and then adding silicone. While 3D printing molds is not a new concept, utilizing this idea to create silicone objects opens up a whole new avenue for 3D printing. It is both cost effective, and fast!

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Contributor: Glyneva Bradley-Ridout

Get it? Paw PRINTS? That’s right invention dimension readers, this post is all about our furry (and sometimes scaly) friends. With spring right around the corner and animals coming out of hibernation, we thought it would be fun to share some of our favorite animal designs from Thingiverse (there were so many, it was hard to pick just a few!)

Remember, if you want to print any of these cuddly (and sometimes crawly) creatures for yourself, check out Gerstein’s 3D printing service!

1. Bunny bank, so you can save your money in a hop, skip, and a jump!

Bunny Bank by faberdasher

2. A sweet penguin (who has a secret compartment hidden inside it’s belly)!

Cute 3D Printable Penguin/Baby Penguin with Drawer Organizer Secret Compartment by chendragon2099

3. A tower of turtles! Shell-dom have we seen anything so cute.

Squishy turtle by jakejake

4. This little guy even has a bendy trunk! He would be a relephant addition to any 3D printed collection.

Elephant by LeFabShop

5. Alpaca stacka! Scale to various sizes to achieve a parent and baby version!

Tika Alpaca (moveable legs!) by TikaDesign

Contributor: Glyneva Bradley-Ridout

Welcome to the second edition of VR views! Today we’ll be looking at some of the ways Virtual Reality is being used in the healthcare field. Remember, if you want to try out VR for yourself, check out Gerstein’s Virtual Reality service!

1. Improving stroke recovery time

After a stroke, starting physical activity as soon as possible can be crucially important for long-term recovery. VR applications have been utilized to help recovering patients practice movements without intense physical exertion as they begin their rehabilitation.

2. Pain management

Virtual Reality is being used to help burn victims with pain management. During excruciating procedures like wound care, VR has been used to distract patients through overwhelming pain pathways using relaxing images, sounds, and games.

3. Surgical training

New doctors are able to get started with a scalpel sooner than ever thanks to virtual reality. By practicing surgical procedures in a virtual environment, physicians can hone their skills without any risk to real patients.

4. Bringing home to the hospital

For children who are undergoing long hospital stays, the removal from their home environment can be one of the most challenging elements. A Dutch company has developed a virtual reality product which allows kids to be immersed in their home, school, or other location, without ever leaving their hospital bed.

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That’s it for today! Don’t forget to check out Gerstein’s virtual reality service if you want to try out VR for yourself. For further reading, check out the links below!

Carson, E. (2015). 10 ways virtual reality is revolutionizing medicine and healthcare.https://www.techrepublic.com/article/10-ways-virtual-reality-is-revolutionizing-medicine-and-healthcare/

Gibbons, E. M., Thomson, A. N., de Noronha, M., & Joseph, S. (2016). Are virtual reality technologies effective in improving lower limb outcomes for patients following stroke – a systematic review with meta-analysis. Topics in Stroke Rehabilitation, 23(6), 440-457. doi:10.1080/10749357.2016.1183349

Contributor: Glyneva Bradley-Ridout

3D printing is revolutionizing industrial technology. Last spring, the first entirely 3D printed house was completed; and in under 24 hours! The cost-effectiveness, durability, and speed of 3D printing means there is the opportunity to create major structures like houses and bridges. Who knows how much of our cities will be 3D printed in the future?

Source: Apis Cor 

Contributor: Glyneva Bradley-Ridout

Happy New Year from the Invention Dimension team! We are looking forward to a great year of exploring 3D printing and Virtual Reality topics.

On that note, and in light of Gerstein Science Information Centre’s new Virtual Reality service, we are introducing a re-occurring column to the blog: VR Views! In this monthly column, different applications of Virtual Reality technology will be explored. What is the point of virtual reality? Why do we need virtual reality? What can virtual reality do for us? These are the questions we’ll seek to answer.

So, what does virtual reality have to offer, in a world where we are constantly surrounded by new technologies? Inkoo Kang was one person who wanted to find out. He considered himself a virtual reality non-believer, until he actually sat down to try VR. Within a matter of hours, he was a convert. What was it about VR that caused him to change his mind?

1. It is easy to love: For most people, such as Kang, just one experience with VR was enough to be blown away by it’s immense potential power and unique opportunities for creating visual experiences.

2. It changes the way stories are told: Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be be a tree? With virtual reality, you can find out. Kang discusses his experience viewing Milica Zec and Winslow Porter’s VR video, Tree, in which the viewer experiences the journey from a seed to a towering tree above the amazon. With VR, watching a film is no longer just a passive experience, but an interactive and immersive adventure.

3. The possibilities are ever-growing: Completely immersive and unlike anything that’s come before, Virtual Reality has the capacity to change the way we think about art, entertainment, technology. Where will the limits of VR unfold? The future will tell, but for now, we are witnessing only the beginning of what this technology has to offer.

Still Image from tree

Contributor: Glyneva Bradley-Ridout

Part two of our gift ideas series is for the kids in your life! There is still time to 3D print the perfect holiday gift through our Gerstein + MADlab 3D printing service!

1. Flying Helicopter

Today’s adults may remember playing with a similar toy as a kid! This fun toy stands up through the test of time, and the children in your life today will love playing with it just as much as you did!

Flying Helicopter Toy by 3DBROOKLYN

2. Tree Sculptures

A perfect addition to any doll house, train track set, or barnyard!

Low-Poly Tree Sculptures by francfalco

3. Lego Sized Bumper Cars

These cute bumper cars can be printed to fit Lego or Duplo characters!

Lego and Duplo Bumper Cars by Satoer

4. Dino Puzzle

RAWR! Print one or more of these sweet puzzles for the dinosaur obsessed kiddo in your life!

Dino Kids by fablabmalag

Contributor: Glyneva Bradley-Ridout

So, you’ve checked out one of our Google cardboard headsets, available for free from Gerstein Library Virtual Reality service.  Now, you need some cool apps to download to give the VR experience a try! Here, we’ve listed some of our favorite Google Cardboard Apps. All are available for both Apple and Android.

Source (licenced for reuse) 

Google Cardboard (free) A good place to start is with the google cardboard app itself! Here you can learn how the headset works, and take part in some fun demos! 

Discovery VR (free) This app allows you to experience exciting adventures from all around the globe (Samurai sword fights in japan, anyone)? Plus exclusive content from Discovery Channel shows!  

YouTube (free) Your favorite video viewing app also has a ton of VR content! Check out movie trailers, music videos, and even Gerstein’s own VR playlist! 

Hidden Temple - VR Adventure ($) One of the most popular VR games out there! Explore an ancient temple, solve tricky puzzles, and find hidden artifacts all with the turn of your head! 

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Contributor: Glyneva Bradley-Ridout

Happy Fall U of T! With the start of a new school year, Gerstein Science Information Centre + MADLab is excited to announce a new service: Virtual Reality!

This is a two-tier service complete with 6 Google Cardboard headsets and a RICOH 360 Camera, both available for short-term loan, and a room-scale HTC Vive studio available by reservation only in the MADLab. Both services are available for all University of Toronto students, staff, and faculty and best of all they are FREE!

If you want to check out the Google Cardboard headsets or the RICOH 360 Camera, it’s only two simple steps!

Come to the Gerstein Science information Centre

Receive Materials at the Short Term Loan Desk

Booking time in our HTC Vive studio is also easy as can be!

Reserve time in the studio

Pick up keys at Gerstein Loan Services in time for your reservation

Bring a spotter to help you get set up and keep you safe

Attend brief orientation session with MADLab staff before your first session with the HTC Vive

Read and sign safety waiver