Nice couple of short slideshows over on BusinessWeek. The first covers the return of “pint-size cars” (Link) and the second displays some interesting products aimed at the snowskier market (Link). In particular, I’ve been noticing (finally) edgier forms increasingly showing up in the automotive industry. I guess Cadillac’s designers have vindicated themselves. Good for them.
{Image source: BusinessWeek/The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc.}
I’ve made comments related to this topic, but Dominic Muren over on IDFuel does a better job in his most recent entry (Link). From his post:
the true strength in a designer’s brain lies in the way it helps form connections between isolated ideas.
I tend to agree. Go read the entire entry and check out his other posts. Dominic is, in my opinion, one of the more interesting and insightful design bloggers on the net.
Now here’s a surprise. While checking out the Design News website I came across a link to – get this – an online videogame. Go and defend the heartland for yourself (Link). Just remember, this could be someone tricking you to do some work.
{Image source: How Machines Work Corp.}
Some interesting articles over on Desktop Engineering that I wanted to point out. The first (Link 1) is a holiday-influenced commentary that caught my attention because much of what is said echoes a previous post of mine (read that Here) in which I said:
Imagine a client that simply streams these files, regenerates the geometry on the fly and tesselates for rendering as necessary. Automatic LOD. Amazing detail. Files that can go anywhere – from videogames to rapid-prototyping machines.
There’s lots to do yet in the 3D modeling world. The question is: Who will unify 3D and make it truly portable?
The second article is a simple comparison of 3D printers/prototypers (Link 2). Surprisingly, I’ve never read a comparison of this type (although I have little doubt there have been plenty). Hopefully, there’ll be more and more of these comparative reviews; a consequence of an increasingly crowded market.
The third article (Link 3) is interesting on a number of levels. Here’s an excerpt:
First, Realadi cleaned up the point cloud data. “The propjet had tons of sampling points,” said Marsden. “We digitally removed all outliers and greatly reduced surface noise.”
Next, Realadi converted the propjet’s point cloud data into a polygonal mesh model. While point cloud data typically lacks precision and is nearly impossible to manufacture, polygonal mesh can be manipulated and articulated to a high degree of integrity. This enabled Realadi to make several enhancements required for down stream users, such as Boeing, Lancair and eventually pilots.
Now on the home stretch, Realadi relied on RapidForm reverse engineering software to convert the polygonal model into a refined CAD model with high-quality, accurate NURBS surfaces. The resulting CAD model met and even surpassed Boeing’s high standards and expectations for the new propjet.
Lots of interesting stuff to consider there, but the overriding thought in my mind is how this process can – and probably will – be used to pirate the design of real products. I’ve already mentioned the availability of low-cost 3D laser scanning devices on this blog – machines that can scan/digitize handheld objects (e.g. toasters, clothes irons, mp3 players, aso). There’s not a doubt in my mind that what this article details will be used to pirate the design of larger items; may already be used. Won’t be long now til Industrial Designers face the same intellectual property issues that face musicians. Get ready, folks.
After all the hype (see my earlier post – Link), it appears that Wells Fargo has pulled up its Second Life stakes and relocated to Active Worlds according to long-time SL resident Cristiano Midnight. The circumstances surrounding the move aren’t known yet as it appears that SL residents involved in the development of Stagecoach Island, Wells Fargo’s virtual presence in Second Life, were neither consulted nor contacted. I have to wonder if the possible security issues that came up early after the SL Stagecoach Island was announced played any part in their move (see earlier post – Link).
Of particular interest to me actually is this exchange on the SL forums:
Aimee Weber: “You happen to know if WF absconded with any non-Bedazzle textures from stagecoach? Does the AW version of this project now feature a *PREEN* I know nothing about?”
Ulrika Zugswang: “Yes it does! Except now all the object are owned by Aimee Weebler.”
Most likely a joke, but it does raise some interesting issues. In the meantime, here are some comparison shots posted by SL resident Cubey Terra: Pic1, Pic2 (note the similarity in the virtual product forms – items not created for or licensed to Wells Fargo)
{Update 1: Reuben Linden has posted this over on the SL forums:
In late November Wells Fargo informed Linden Lab that they would not be progressing beyond the BETA period with Stagecoach Island. They cited several reasons including cost, system requirements and the ability to seperate the Stagecoach experience from the main grid.
Having looked at the Stagecoach deployment in Active Worlds, it looks quite nice. It would be valuable to hear from Bedazzle regarding the content issues; not having been involved in their contract, it’s impossible to speculate on what the terms of use of content were.
That said — despite the dissappointment of seeing this project move to ActiveWorlds, it was a very powerful learning experience for us at LL. We are moving towards having a much better idea of what works and what does not in this type of project and also towards understanding how to handle such projects better in the future.
The main grid separation issue is interesting. For anyone wanting to isolate an island for something like product development (virtual meetings), a completely confidential and secure space is mandatory.}
{Update 2: And some contractual clarification from an SL resident involved in the project:
Just to clarify something briefly Bedazzle did sign a contract with Swivel Media that did give them the rights to use our work for SCI. All textures where provided on a CD and sent in the mail to Swivel Media. This did not give Swivel media any rights to use any creations or textures from any of the vendors who contributed and help out in SCI. We found out about SCI being moved to Active worlds yesterday morning and we where in shock to find out that it was recreated on another platform without us clearly knowing this was being done. It seems since they never made this clear to us that they did not know what we created and what was the vendors work who contributed. I did notice that some of Cubey’s stuff was recreated and looks identical to what he has inside of SL and have ask them to please remove or redesign his work. Bedazzle was not involved with this transition of SCI being move to Active Worlds and there was no third party involvement.
I figured it might all come back to Swivel Media. Wonder if it will stay with them.}
{Update 3: This most recent forum post by Cubey Terra, another person involved who seems to have had his content ripped off, provides additional detail:
For the sake of discussion, I’ll try to clarify my role in this situation.
LL asked me (and I assume others) to contribute content to a new project. In exchange for setting up skydiving pods and equipment on Stagecoach Island (SL), I would be able to sell equipment at the same spot, but at about a tenth of the normal L$ price on the mainland. I would retain ownership of the objects. It would be like setting up one of my skydiving pods anywhere in SL, as I’ve done many times before.
Later, they ran into a problem, and asked to change the arrangment. The new arrangement would be a USD amount (small) in advance from LL. LL would take copies of the gear (much the same way as regular users buy copies from me in Abbotts), and the normal SL permissions would apply. At the end of Stagecoach beta, they’d send the L$ proceeds from sales.
My only communication with Bedazzled was when they showed me where to set up the gear. I don’t know who Swivel Media is, and never spoke to any WF reps.
All seemed to have gone well until yesterday, when I found this forum thread. I logged into the ActiveWorlds StageCoach island and took screenshots. It looks to me like they duplicated the designs of my pods, the launch pads, the parachutes, and even the shelves and signage. Textures that I created myself in Paint Shop Pro now appear in ActiveWorlds somehow.
At no point did I make any agreement to give away the rights to my designs and textures to anyone. If Bedazzled has a contract that surrenders all rights to all SL Stagecoach Island to Swivel Media, this is the first I’ve heard of it, and I don’t see how I could be bound by it, any more than I can sell you the Brooklyn bridge.
Is the use of my content in ActiveWorlds covered under the SL ToS? Not bloody likely, as ActiveWorlds couldn’t be considered a promotion for Second Life.
To close, here are the screenshots again…
http://forums.secondlife.com/showpo…24&postcount=35It’s pretty clear that these are my designs and textures, to which I alone hold the copyright.
Granted these violations might seem insignificant to many readers, but the principle of the thing is far from insignificant in a rapid-manufacturing, easily-pirated 3D world.}
{Image Copyright © 2006 Cristiano Midnight}