Inside Design Visionaries

Best Quote Ever?

“As president, I believe that robotics can inspire young people to pursue science and engineering.

And I also want to keep an eye on those robots in case they try anything.”

-President Barack Obama, in a speech regarding his "Educate to Innovate" campaign

Change the World Challenge Winners

From Desktop Engineering:

Desktop Engineering Magazine (DE) [recently] announced the winners of its first annual “Change the World Challenge,” a contest for engineers, inventors, innovators, designers, and companies creating products or processes that will have a major impact on our lives. Numerous entries from around the world were submitted, each with the potential to make a positive world-changing impact on our lives and those of future generations. Winners will be recognized in the December 2009 issue of DE Magazine.

See the press release here.

Google Releases SketchUp 7.1

From the Google SketchUp Blog:
Fall is just around the corner here in Boulder, and with it comes our next release of Google SketchUp [. . .]. The team's been working long hours through the summer on projects large and small. I'm proud to announce that Google SketchUp 7.1 is available today for you to download and install. Don't you just love the smell of fresh new software?

Galileo's Telescope-400 years ago today

On this day, exactly 400 years ago (August 25, 1609, to be exact), Galilei Galileo, Italian mathematician, debuted his new invention, the telescope.  Galileo's telescope, which was not the first, was made of wood and leather.  It magnified eight times, and had a convex main lens. Its concave eyepiece allowed images to be seen right side up, unlike other telescopes of the period.

Design Visionaries: Model an Animal Contest and New Website

In honor of our brand-new, fully re-designed website (check it out at www.designviz.com and be sure to see all the new cool stuff on our Goodies page!), Design Visionaries is announcing:

Model an Animal Contest

Using CAD is an art form that is fun to practice. When you build models of machined components the actual geometry is not always very challenging. When you are tying to model something from nature, it’s a whole different story. We, at Design Visionaries, would like to propose a challenge.

We would like to see our user community be as creative as possible and see who can come up with the coolest model of an animal (real or imaginary).  

This contest will be judged by a panel from the Design Visionaries staff.  Models will be judged on their originality, aesthetics and degree of difficulty.  For inspiration, see the Free 3D models in the Goodies section of our website, www.designviz.com.
The most creative model will receive a $200 gift certificate to OnlineMetals.com.

The rules for the models are simple; they have to be made completely in NX and you may not import geometry from any other source.
Please submit an actual NX model file.  E-mail models to info@designviz.com                                              

Deadline for submissions:  Friday, October 23, 2009  (Be sure to include your name and email address)

JOIN & WIN! It's that simple.

YOUGIZMOS.com

Artisans, Graphic Designers, Engineers, NX Users, CAD Users, Landscapers, Welders, Dreamers, Musicians, Artists, Students, Teachers, Parents, Children, And Many More Come Together

YouGizmos.com - Refer a Friend Contest

Mode of Transportation Contest: WIN a GPS

Online Metals: Build a Better Trebuchet Win $300

Coolest Robot Costume: $200 Toys R Us Gift Card

Build Your Project from LEGOS Win $250

Please check out our latest contests.

The best submission as rated by a combination of our staff and user inputs will be awarded one of many prizes.

SIGN UP TODAY

DV / You Gizmos at MakerFaire San Mateo

 Design Visionaries/YouGizmos will be exhibiting at MakerFaire again.  This time close to home at the San Mateo Expo Center May 30 and 31.  We've got some really wild and cool things planned, so come on out and see us!  Get your tickets now.

 

Call for makers is still on-going.

You Gizmos-Your Portal to Creativity

YouGizmos.com is a fantastic, new, project-oriented website for creative minds.  These projects are mechanical marvels and range from simple to complex creative projects you can do. 

You Gizmos is devoted to the art of concept practice. It could be a strange new mechanism, a huge boat, a miniature steam engine. It can be a trebuchet, a sling shot for water balloons or a clock that runs on buckets of sand, or even a potato launcher. It's the act of thinking of something new as well as rendering it in wood, metal, plastic, ice, you name it. You Gizmos is for serious artisans that have studied their craft for decades, as well as those who are just getting into the game. On You Gizmos you can see and download CAD drawings, part files, papers on techniques of all manners and for more, or you can upload your own projects.

Submit a video entry in our contest.  The best submission, as rated by a combination of our staff and user inputs, will be awarded a cash prize of $2,000.  (Contest will end after the first 500 entries are received.)

Why YouGizmos.com? We are designers, engineers, artists, musicians and extremely positive folks who love to encourage everyone to be as creative and wonderful as possible.

Sign up today to receive newsletter, how to’s and contest information.

 

*If you visited us while we were in beta, please stop by again and see our completely redesigned site!*

Digimech Clock

The Digimech Clock, by Duncan Shotton, mimics the look of an LED clock. The numbers, represented by segmented cryptograms, are printed on vertical sliders.  They are revealed when shifted into perfect alignment with the 'display box'. When not aligned they look like random, alien forms. It is ginormous, though, so you can't really put it on your desk.

 

See it work. 

More information here.

Cool? Yes. Useful? um . . .

Called Deus Ex Machina, the exoskeleton wearable motorcycle concept was designed by Jake Loniak.  There is no working prototype yet, but the designer believes it is possible.  Thirty-six pneumatic muscles would steer the cycle, based on the computer's interpretation of the rider's movements. hmm. . .