Chilling in the CLT

Class was wild yesterday.
After navigating the dark and mysterious hallways of the library's basement, I found myself in a space called The CLT.  I believe it stands for The Center for Learning and Technology (don't quote me, I could be wrong).  In the CLT, we met with one of the "pro-techies" and learned about the amazing opportunities that Trinity offers us students! Trinity does a fantastic job in allowing the CLT funds to buy technology that has academic value (so basically, all technology).  From our small tour, I saw rows upon rows of shiny Mac and Windows desktops, all outfitted with top of the line programs (none of which I can name, most of which I will soon learn to use).  In the back of the room is a video conferencing area, as well as 2 mini workshops.

 These workshops can be used as "tinkering areas" that are stocked with various tools to work with.  Moving on, we came across the two drones that Trinity has! One is incredibly big, and probably looks like a flying tarantula when in the sky.  The other is more compact, and can hold just a GoPro.  While students might find it hard to find an educational reason to bring these outside ("it's an academic curiosity!") it's still cool to look at.  Finally, we came to the 3D printers! These printers are, by far, my favorite part of the tour.  Back in my robotics days, we used a 3D printer to make parts for our robot! I loved listening to it work, it sounds like 10,000 electronic honey bees.  Or like you've been abducted by aliens and are waiting silently in a small jail in their spaceship to hear what they want to do with you.  Whatever state of mind you're in.  Either way! Trinity lets students use these machines often, as long as the reason is more than "because it's cool." The things that other students made were pretty amazing.  One item featured in the video I took was particularly cool; it was of the Murchison Bell Tower, and the base had letters that spelled out New Trinity.  The video that I embedded above is evidence of all that I mentioned here.
What this all has gotten me thinking about is of all of the new creative ideas that can stem off of these new technologies.  I'm partial to 3D printing, so I'll focus on that.  3D printing brings so many different aspects to the table.  Joseph Flaherty's article, 3-D Printed Prosthetics That Look Fit for a Sci-Fi Warrior,  explained it very well, I thought.

"[William] Root’s prosthetic concept combines his interests in aesthetics and biomechatronics, as well as inquiries into the preferences of amputees." 
-Joseph Flaherty in Wired

He's referring to a series of prototype prosthetics that William Root has been developing.  They really do look fit for a Sci Fi story! I think that's what has been drawing so much interest to this new technology.  So many people can begin taking advantage of it.  If you're more artistically inclined, you can still use your input and create something amazing.  If you're technologically inclined, you can still use your input and create something equally amazing.  These new technologies bring people together in ways that weren't considered possible until now! Back in the 1960s when the territory of computers were just beginning to be breached upon, no one thought that a sculptor would have any use in a computer lab.  Now it's easier than ever to bring anyone, no matter their talent, into the same room to create something unique and amazing!