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A 'This Is Where It Started' Moment
May. 13th, 2007 08:48 amThe CandyFab 4000 - a home-made rapid prototyping machine that builds objects out of sugar.
This is one of those times when you can say "look, a bit of the future is starting, right here".
To make an analogy with the history of computing, if existing rapid prototyping techniques (such as stereolithography) correspond to mainframes and minicomputers, then the CandyFab corresponds to the Altair 8800. The Altair was the first hobbyist computer; it was very limited in what it could practically do, but for the first time allowed an enthusiast to try out real programming techniques. You're not going to make your own household robot with the CandyFab, but machines like this will create the cadre of knowledgeable hobbyists who will provide a market for the next generation of fabricators.
This is one of those times when you can say "look, a bit of the future is starting, right here".
To make an analogy with the history of computing, if existing rapid prototyping techniques (such as stereolithography) correspond to mainframes and minicomputers, then the CandyFab corresponds to the Altair 8800. The Altair was the first hobbyist computer; it was very limited in what it could practically do, but for the first time allowed an enthusiast to try out real programming techniques. You're not going to make your own household robot with the CandyFab, but machines like this will create the cadre of knowledgeable hobbyists who will provide a market for the next generation of fabricators.
