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| 'Failed' test print of flight data using MakerBot |
As part of my AA2A placement, I've been able to work with a technican at Plymouth University to create a test model with a MakerBot . (This is the DIY end of the 3D printing spectrum and forms models by layering a melted a plastic filament.) I used existing glider GPS so I could compare the results with high-end laser sintering. Technically it was a failure - too fragile and something of a misprint, but I was really pleased with the slightly messy 'spun sugar' effect, which showed me the data in a new light. It was also great to have another solid object in my hands.
Second, the manipulation of the flight data from a flock of pigeons is now moving along much faster. There have been a number of false starts, partly due to the sheer quantity of data but, with the help of a programmer, I'm now some way to having a simple interface that allows me to turn streams of numbers into quick digital sketches and look for interesting flight patterns. It's this ability to work directly with the data - coupled with the tailor-made programming - that's helping me feel much more like a maker working with other makers than a project manager.
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