I was going to save this article for a slow news day as it has nothing to do with archaeology, per se, but it turns out to be a slow news day today. It is about a new initiative in 3-D printing. The usefulness of 3-D copier/printers to archeaology and museums is immediately obvious, and this article says that soon they will be available at consumer-level prices:
"Sometimes a particular piece of plastic is just what you need. You have lost the battery cover to your cellphone, perhaps. Or your daughter needs to have the golden princess doll she saw on television. Now. In a few years, it will be possible to make these items yourself. You will be able to download three-dimensional plans online, then push Print. Hours later, a solid object will be ready to remove from your printer.
It’s not quite the transporter of Star Trek, but it is a step closer.
Three-dimensional printers have been seen in industrial design shops for about a decade. They are used to test part designs for cars, airplanes and other products before they are sent to manufacturing. Once well over $100,000 each, such machines can now be had for $15,000. In the next two years, prices are expected to fall further, putting the printers in reach of small offices and even corner copy stores."
Examples of the use of 3-d imaging in archaeology include the following:
It’s not quite the transporter of Star Trek, but it is a step closer.
Three-dimensional printers have been seen in industrial design shops for about a decade. They are used to test part designs for cars, airplanes and other products before they are sent to manufacturing. Once well over $100,000 each, such machines can now be had for $15,000. In the next two years, prices are expected to fall further, putting the printers in reach of small offices and even corner copy stores."
Examples of the use of 3-d imaging in archaeology include the following:
Texas A&M University’s Archaeological Preservation Research Laboratory (APRL)
http://www.tamu.edu/tamunews/News/stories/05/053105news-151.html
http://www.tamu.edu/tamunews/News/stories/05/053105news-151.html
Maya Archaeology
Past Thinking
No comments:
Post a Comment