Use Your iPad for Design Projects - A Design Innovation

For many years, I have used CAD (computer assisted design) programs to plan out projects for the home and boat.  The learning curve was sometimes steep, especially in the early days of these programs.

In recent years I have used SketchUp to plan a variety of projects, including a major renovation of the galley on our trawler.  The ability to visualize the plan in 3D was especially useful. It is a powerful program.

http://www.sketchup.com/

I subscribe to WIRED, a publication which focuses on the impact of emerging technologies on society.  You can subscribe to e-mail versions of its offerings (free) or pay a reasonable fee for a full subscription.  It is one of my go-to sites for emerging ideas.

http://www.wired.com/

From WIRED I recently learned about a new entrant in the CAD field, Gravity Sketch.  It marks a new development:

Gravity has embraced 3-D printing as the logical output of the app, but frankly, that seems to be the least compelling use-case. Looking forward, Gravity is essentially preparing people to use a new gestural language for creation that it will carry through to more advanced VR and AR products. And the idea that anyone, not just professionals, can sketch a 3-D object with scant technical knowledge will grow increasingly important. As virtual and augmented reality become more commonplace, it’s easy to see how everyday communication could shift from two to three dimensions, too. Five years from now, it won’t just be developers who need literacy in this space—it’ll be everyone.
http://www.wired.com/2016/03/gravitysketch-3-d-software/

To learn more, look here:

https://www.gravitysketch.com/

The transformation of designs into hold-in-hand creations is done by Shapeways.  Look here to see the possibilities.  As you will see, Shapeways offers a variety of programs to assist the with the design of a wide variety of projects.

http://www.shapeways.com/

As always, I look for alternative approaches to issues - in this instance, 3D printing.  The Toronto Public Library system is one of the best in the world.  Consistently, it has demonstrated an ability to adapt.  Years ago, it stocked books and other materials in many languages to meet the demand of the city's multicultural mosaic. (Did you know that 50 percent of Torontonians were born outside of Canada?) The system has been in the forefront of functioning as a community hub and in the delivery of new services which have expanded its horizons well beyond the world of books.  The focus is on the democratization of access to knowledge.

One of the services offered by the system is 3D design and printing.

http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/using-the-library/computer-services/innovation-spaces/3D-design-print.jsp

Is in no wonder that the per capita use of Toronto's library system is the second highest in the world?  It is one of the reasons why this city consistently rates among the best places to live.