leadership dot #1877: cast away

There is a buzz about how Artificial Intelligence is going to change the landscape, but I think the true game-changer is going to be 3D printing. The magic of 3D is becoming more accessible to the masses and transforming things on a daily basis.

The latest example of 3D in action replaces medical casts with plastic ones: custom fit, waterproof, lighter, more airy and even fun with personalized words and messages. No more signing of the cast: now yours comes with motivational sayings printed in. How much more fun is that than the traditional plaster versions?

In the 1967 movie Mrs. Robinson, Dustin Hoffman's character was told "there's a great future in plastics." And with 3D printing, it is even more true today. It's hard to wrap your mind around all the things 3D printing can do, but once you have that vision, implementing it is only a matter of time. 

Think about what you could cast away that is currently done in a clunky or generic manner and head to your local library Makerspace to see if you can't take your idea to a new dimension in 3D plastic.