3D printing has long fascinated me. Maybe I am just naive but this kind of stuff never ceases to amaze me.
http://www.economist.com/node/18114327
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It works like this. First you call up a blueprint on your computer screen and tinker with its shape and colour where necessary. Then you press print. A machine nearby whirrs into life and builds up the object gradually, either by depositing material from a nozzle, or by selectively solidifying a thin layer of plastic or metal dust using tiny drops of glue or a tightly focused beam.
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And then you take your instrument (in this case) out of the printer and play it!
I for one, am impressed.
Speaking of musical instruments and computers, since no one seems to think it amazing that a computer can answer Jeopardy questions (because, of course, computers can do anything) what about creating music? If the advance of Artificial Intelligence is so taken for granted that its historic first steps come to us with the little more than a postmodern yawn, perhaps Musical Intelligence will raise some eyebrows:
http://arstechnica.com/science/news/2009/09/virtual-composer-makes-beautiful-musicand-stirs-controversy.ars
http://www.csmonitor.com/Innovation/Tech/2010/0617/How-a-computer-program-became-classical-music-s-hot-new-composer
Yes? No? Just once, can someone agree that at least some of the technological advances we have witnessed in our lifetime are at least mildly interesting and worth being excited about? I for one remain in constant awe. Do I really stand alone in amazement with all of this?
