Today I went to Digitech and what a cool experience! The exhibit housed an overwhelming number of presenters from all majors who had each found a way to innovatively use technology. Some of the projects included smart tables, 3-D printers, body suits for film production, safer sports helmets, and yes, even an Iron Man suit.
One of my favorite projects was one from the archeological department. The researchers travel back and forth to Italy to dig up an archeological site. Unfortunately, the artifacts that they find are required to remain in Italy. So, rather than simply photographing all of the artifacts, the researchers scan them and 3-D print them. They are then able to sand down the prints and add texture and color so that the printed model is almost identical to the original. The goal: to help visually impaired students who can't see photos of artifacts. This way then can feel them.
Another cool tech invention that I saw, which is arguably the coolest thing that I've ever seen, was the Iron Man suit. The creator is a graduate student who has spent three years creating a fully functioning suit out of recycled materials. The suit came with a speaker, smart phone capabilities, and yes, even a flame thrower!!! While it may not look sleek and pretty like Tony Stark's suit, this teacher by day is still a pretty cool tech super hero by night in my book!
