While researching some rapid manufacturing options, I happened to notice an image on a site that piqued my interest. I learned that the piece was the work of Gil Bruvel, a sculptor employing 3D modeling software and metal fabbing machines to create limited-edition sculptures. Bruvel’s website (Link) from which the above image was taken has some interesting stuff – including plenty of background and even some QTVR imagery.

If you have any interest in this kind of transmedia work, it might be worth it to stop over and look around. The work won’t be for everyone, but the process might be worth the time.

{Image Copyright © Gil Bruvel}

I happened across this over on Blue’s News yesterday: a free version of MorphVOX (Link). Why bother mentioning this? Two reasons. The first is that there is a reluctance for people using other genders in online activities to embrace voice chat (for obvious reasons). This provides a possible solution.

The second is one of the options that MorphVOX (paid version) provides – “Man to Child”. For anyone who has been on the Second Life forums the past few days, the significance of that will be clear. Until I came across those threads, I’d not have given this option a second thought. Now I’m wondering if it’ll be made illegal.

C|Net has news of a start-up called Arch Rock that is working on something of interest to those following blogjects/spimes/kirkyans. From the C|Net article (Link):

Arch Rock is one of several companies seeking to sell systems used to build and operate networks of wireless sensors that connect to the Internet.
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For example, a bridge can be outfitted with sensors to monitor vibrations that may indicate structural damage, or vineyards can use sensors for monitoring temperature and moisture, allowing them to better plan harvests.
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Connections to the Internet can be established by using “mesh networks” that can create ad hoc networks without a single access point, he added.

I’m planning on finding some time to work on another concept, so this is interesting news to me.

I just followed a visitation URL back and discovered something interesting: The Design Association (Link). No surprise this has appeared on the scene. Anyone who has spent time on the Core77 forums has seen plenty of threads on the topic of professional accreditation.

The question is: Will this or any organization succeed? I don’t know. There is perhaps a need for the public – which is increasingly becoming aware of the occupation – to be educated in what we actually do (no, Industrial Designers don’t design industrial facilities). And small companies looking for professional design services could certainly use some help avoiding scam artists. But who sets the standards? And what qualifies them? Industrial Design is full of gray areas. It’s not a simple thing to draw a line on the marker pad.

I think I’ll drop this on the Core forum and set off some fireworks. Be right back…

… okay. Let’s see what develops (Core thread – Link).

For anyone who hasn’t discovered the Interactive Architecture blog (Link), I just wanted to point it out. Even though I don’t call out “architecture” as a subject (and perhaps I should), many of you have doubtlessly noticed that – relative to product design – I post quite a few entries on architecture. I’d like to post more on product design, but the truth is I don’t see many (any!) products that are pushing the envelope in the areas I discuss here. I’m sure that will change, but being an impatient person, I’m more than happy to watch and be impressed by the developments being made in the architecture community. I only wish I’d found that blog earlier.