The White House christmas crowdsourcing!
This year, innovative technologies like 3D printing are playing a role in creating a unique and interactive holiday experience at the White House. In October, the White Houseannounced the 3D Printed Ornament Challenge in partnership with the Smithsonian. Makers, innovators and students around the country, from New Hampshire and Texas to California and Michigan, submitted more than 300 creative, whimsical and beautiful winter-inspired designs. Twenty innovative designs were chosen as finalists and five of these designs were selected for display in the White House.
Crowdsourcing ornaments for Mr. President!
The 3D Printed Ornament Challenge builds on the White House’s interest in spurring innovation and creativity through making. In July, at the first-ever White House Maker Faire, President Obama explained that Today’s D.I.Y. is tomorrow’s Made in America. To support the future of American innovation, the Administration is also working to create more opportunities for students to engage in hands-on learning in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) subjects. This will allow makers to turn their creativity into products while continuing to develop advanced manufacturing capabilities domestically.
Not just the White House!
The 3D printing allows individuals to quickly, easily and inexpensively prototype their ideas, solve pressing problems, and positively impact the health, biomedical, food, fashion, and other industries. And federal agencies are also harnessing the power of 3D technology:
The Smithsonian is using 3D to digitize iconic objects in its collection and created the bust of President Obama based on a 3D scan of the President, which is currently on display in the Commons gallery of the Smithsonian Castle through December 31, 2014.
The National Institutes of Health launched the 3D Print Exchange, where individuals can freely upload or download scientific 3D printable models (using speccy or any other app) for research and education (Read our post on this subject here).
Watch the clip!
NASA recently announced it used Zero-G, a 3D printer designed to be used in a zero gravity environment to 3D print an object in space for the first time (Read our post on this subject here). The ornaments on display in this blogpost were 3D printed and are currently on display in the White House.
These designs will be featured in the Smithsonian’s state-of-the-art 3D data platform, and will join the small collection of White House ornaments in the Political History divisionofthe Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.
Watch the clip of the ornaments during the 3D printing phase here!
Source: White House Official