Tag Archives: Austin

The World’s First 3D-Printed Gun

May 6th, 2013 | Robot

Liberator 3D-Printed Gun

Liberator 3D-Printed Gun Exploded View

Shots have been fired from the world’s first 3D-Printed Gun.  The new weapon was created by a group out of Austin, TX (a city known more for its peace-loving activists than hardcore gun enthusiasts).  The pistol is called “The Liberator,” an homage to the cheap pistols handed out to the Allied troops in France during World War II.  It was printed on a Stratasys Dimension SST printer and consists of 16 parts, 15 of which are 3D-printed.
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 The only component not to come from the printer is a simple nail which is used as the firing pin for the gun.
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The news outlets have been all over this, and they have gathered many quotes from anti-gun activists proclaiming that there should be an immediate ban on this sort of 3D-printing application.  However, it should be pointed out that a dedicated person can make this sort of zip gun out of all sorts of household materials — tubes, rubber bands, nails, etc.  All you need to do is put a cartridge in a pipe and pull back a nail attached to a rubber band and the bullet will fire.
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At this stage, it is still A LOT easier to just buy a gun if you want to go out and kill somone.  And, these plastic 3D-printed guns have trouble firing more than a few rounds at a time.

-RSB

[via Mashable]

“Expected Closure” from Underwater Orchestra – Album Review

December 4th, 2012 | Robot, Space

Underwater Orchestra

“Expected Closure” is the 12-song debut album from synth pop band, Underwater Orchestra. I first heard the record a few weeks back on Eklektikos, a great radio show hosted by John Aielli on KUT Austin, and I’ve wanted to do a review ever since. Adrian Croom, an artist hailing from Austin, TX, is the force behind the group, which formed back in 2007.  I’ve been a fan of Adrian’s music since his debut album Sub Яosa was released last year and thankfully, “Expected Closure” didn’t disappoint. This time around, Adrian’s exploding synth melodies are backed by live guitar, drums, trumpet, and violin from a slew of talented artists including Jon McMahan (currently on tour with Caspian), Ira Henderson, Gonzalo Hernando, Roberto Riggio, and Isaac Pena.

“Expected Closure” is a journey, or rather a quest, into the world of alien soundscapes, video game synth, and tribal beats, woven together with the warmth of violin and trumpet.  Many vocal-less albums feel monotonic, but this album faces no such fate.  Songs like ‘Proteus’ with its crashing cymbals and uplifting horns could set the stage for even the most heroic cinematic sequences, while the machine-like march of ‘Intrusion’ might be played at The Singularity by our future robot overlords, and I’ve recently been listening to the acoustic guitar riffs of ‘Vacancy’ as a soft, wakeup jam.  I suppose what I’m trying to say is that this is the type of album you hope to find when sifting through the vastness of the electronic music genre – a wonderfully eclectic collection of songs, from start to finish.

I’m hoping to check these guys out in person sometime in the near future.  They play around the Austin area pretty regularly, and I’ve heard rumors they may have an international tour in the works, so stay tuned.

If you’re interested, you can pick up the album here or learn more about Adrian Croom and the rest of Underwater Orchestra here.

Adrian will also be doing an interview with KUT Austin on December 19th at 10AM, and there is a CD release party planned for Saturday, January 19th, at El Sol y La Luna in Austin, TX.

-RSB

Space Shuttle Endeavour in Austin, TX

September 20th, 2012 | Space

The Space Shuttle Endeavour is currently on its farewell tour from Kennedy Space Center in Florida to its permanent home in Los Angeles.  The shuttle is making historic fly-bys in several major U.
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S. cities, including Houston, Austin, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.  Make sure to head outside and take some photos like the ones above and impress the internet.
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 These are all shots of Endeavour in Austin, TX taken by amateur photographers.

If you happen to be in Los Angeles tomorrow morning, here’s a list of the best Shuttle watching spots:

  • Los Angeles City Hall
  • California Science Center
  • Getty Center
  • Griffith Observatory
  • Queen Mary
  • Long Beach Aquarium
  • Malibu, Venice and Huntington beaches
  • Jet Propulsion Laboratory
  • Universal Studios

RSB

And here’s one last photo for good measure:

Push To Page, Release To Party

January 5th, 2012 | Robot

Release To Party

The City Of Austin Power Plant

I decided to take a gander at the old City of Austin Power Plant in downtown Austin to due do some energy research for a future robotics facility and take some photos of the popular site. The Art Deco Seaholm Power Plant has been an Austin icon since its construction in the early 1950’s. The plant is constructed from solid concrete, which is unique from most steel & brick power plants of its time. The complex also contains electric utility substation, transmission and distribution facilities and a utility microwave communications center.

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The plant operated until 1989, and in 1996, Austin City Council authorized the decommissioning of the Seaholm Power Plant. The site is now being redesigned to be used as office space, retail, condos, hotel, and event space.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get to make it down at night, but the Power Plant looks amazing with the red glow behind the sign. Check it out here.

-RSB