3D Printing's Rule 34

Charles Stross's latest science fiction novel, Rule 34, includes a whole lot of deep thinking on the implications of widespread 3D printing. We've discussed some of these issues before, but Stross's novel proposes another more aggressive solution: forbidden shapes. In other words, 3D printers could be rigged to detect and prevent the production of certain objects deemed illegal. The printers may even report you for attempting such, too. 

 

This isn't without precedent; for many years common office photocopiers have had secret built-in code to detect the copying of currency. As copiers became more capable, they also became more capable of counterfeiting. Could a similar approach be attempted for 3D printers? Will objects gradually become more complex in a likely fruitless attempt to slow down copying? 

 

We think someone will try to put such constraints on 3D printers, but ultimately they will fail. Why? Because we think there are a heck of a lot more contraband objects than there ever could be 2D paper contraband. Aside from currency and perhaps bogus University Diplomas, there's not that much really bad stuff you can print on paper. Objects, on the other hand, are infinite in their variety. 

 

What's a bad object? Well, weapons for one - and there are many kinds of those. Bomb parts, delivery mechanisms, etc. could also fall onto the prohibited list. But many of those so-called "bad" objects could be used for good as well as evil. Could the authorities make us live in a world of only dull plastic knives? We can imagine life as if one were always onboard a secure airplane. Not a pleasant thought. Therefore, we can't see this succeeding. 

 

Cory Doctorow expresses his thoughts on this matter in a recent Make article. He writes: 

 

In Stross’ world, as in our own, the regulatory response is to build devices that have internal snitches that check to see if their owners are running naughty unlocking programs. And in Stross’ world, as in our own, the need to prevent the dissemination of snitchware countermeasures leads to widespread surveillance and censorship of the internet.

 

And in Stross’ world, as in ours, none of this actually works worth a damn at stopping bad guys. Instead, it creates a vicious cycle of more surveillance and more control to overcome the failings of the current round of censorship and surveillance.

 

Oh and why "Rule 34"? Urban slang says: "If it exists, there is porn of it. No exceptions." And that's exactly the case with 3D printers, too. 

 

Via Make, Amazon and Wikipedia

An Ode To Digital Fabrication

It's not every day you're contacted by a Finnish professor working for an American university in Doha, Qatar who explains that he's written a poem about Digital Fabrication. 

 

But it happened today. 

 

Dr. Thomas Modeen, whom we've written about previously and normally focuses on physical matters such as architecture and design, has indeed written such a piece, which begins thusly:

 

What would the optimal Digital Fabrication Lab be made of..?

 

Perhaps of Lasers that splice, or 3D Printers real nice..?

 

Maybe it should be an assembly of Machines that Sinter, Glue, and cure - to make objects Very precise and pure…

 

We've seen other written work focusing on 3D printing and digital fabrication, but never a poem! Be sure to read the rest at his blog. 

 

Via smArchitecture

Sterling's Kiosk

It's possible that Science Fiction inspired the creation of 3D Printing; we'll never know for sure. That inspiration continues today, as we recently listened to Starship Sofa's rendition of Bruce Sterling's amazing short story, "Kiosk". Published to the web in 2008, this story follows the career of Borislav, a street-savvy Belgrade entrepreneur who somehow gets his hands on an illegal Polish 3D "fabrikator" capable of printing pretty much anything in indestructible carbon nanotube material.
 
The astonishing tale takes place in a near-future world of industrial collapse, over-regulated product regimes, utter poverty and magical devices. We won't give away the entire story here, but we'll say that fabbing technology has a somewhat dramatic effect on society, quite reminiscent of our thoughts - except a bit more violent. It's well worth the listen. If you wish to read the story, you can find it embedded in the 25th Edition of The Year's Best Science Fiction by Gardner Dozios.  

Sterling's story begins at approximately 10:30 into the podcast. Enjoy!

Via Starship Sofa

Possessions are Over!

Writer Bruce Sterling fantasizes a new flat near Old Street Station in London. Apparently he's a bit short on facilities right now:

As yet, I possess no stove, no toilet, no bathtub and and no bed. In fact, there are no physical objects in my flat whatsoever, except for my two roll-aboard suitcases, this Taiwanese netbook, and one metric tonne of natural ABS plastic on a giant wooden cable reel. The cable reel doubles as the coffee table on which I write this informative blogpost. 

This apparent lack of household items does not seem to concern Sterling even slightly. He's undergone a transformation of understanding of objects: 

But the key insight is – they’re not possessions. Possessions are over. They are data! Data which sometimes manifests itself as my possessions. 

 

This is the essence of the 3D printing paradigm: the data is of value. Objects are mere transitory instances that can be used, or not. 

But what's Sterling up to here? That ABS plastic isn't simply for use as an eccentric table. He's received an "Eclair numerically-controlled home fabricator", and intends to merely print out anything required for the flat, thus making the "possessions are over" paradigm literally true. We've never heard of the "Eclair", but it sounds perfectly yummy!

 

He ends the tale with phrases we might all be using in the future: 

But now I do have to stop. I simply must. I must put away the Red Bull cans, and stop clicking and typing. I have to stop, so I can print my bed.

 

I have to print my bed, so that I can lie in it. 

 

Via iconeye (Hat tip to Justin)

Makers, by Doctorow

Author and activist Cory Doctorow's latest novel, Makers, paints a picture of the future as influenced by the maker communities of today. From Random House Audio's audiobook description:

Perry and Lester invent things—seashell robots that make toast, Boogie Woogie Elmo dolls that drive cars. They also invent entirely new economic systems, like the "New Work," a New Deal for the technological era. Barefoot bankers cross the nation, microinvesting in high-tech communal mini-startups like Perry and Lester's. Together, they transform the country, and Andrea Fleeks, a journo-turned-blogger, is there to document it.

Then it slides into collapse. The New Work bust puts the dot.combomb to shame. Perry and Lester build a network of interactive rides in abandoned Wal-Marts across the land. As their rides, which commemorate the New Work's glory days, gain in popularity, a rogue Disney executive grows jealous, and convinces the police that Perry and Lester's 3D printers are being used to run off AK-47s.

Hordes of goths descend on the shantytown built by the New Workers, joining the cult. Lawsuits multiply as venture capitalists take on a new investment strategy: backing litigation against companies like Disney. Lester and Perry's friendship falls to pieces when Lester gets the 'fatkins' treatment, turning him into a sybaritic gigolo.

Then things get really interesting.

We think so too, and more than likely many Fabbaloo readers will as well.  There's a couple of ways to obtain Makers:

• Buy the Audiobook from Borders Online
• Read the serialized version on Tor.Com, who are publishing a small chunk twice a week, ending in January
• Buy the physical book from MacMillan

Cory Doctorow has long been writing innovative fiction, often focused on the maker and geek cultures. Hope you enjoy it!

Via Craphound (Hat tip to Javier)

Fabbing = Teleportation

Well, it happened faster than we had anticipated, but there are now people teleporting objects using 3D printing technology. De Zeen Design Magazine has a very interesting post and pictures of emailed objects that have been printed on a 3D printer, thus effectively accomplishing teleportation. We're not quite sure about the scanning part on the source end, but otherwise we're getting dangerously close to Star Trek land.

My favorite part of the article is "Reduced Carbon Footprint Souvenirs", which clearly shows everyone where this technology is headed. When sufficiently capable 3D devices are spread across the globe, we could start to see reductions in freight transportation.

Via DeZeen

Personal Fabbing In Science Fiction

Cory Doctorow, notable science fiction writer and Boing Boing blogger, published a futuristic story last month in Forbes magazine. The story paints an interesting picture of how important personal manufacturing may become - and also how venture capitalists may fail.

EscapePod also has an audio version of this story.

Via Forbes, EscapePod and Craphound