Twila Van Leer

Mink 3D Printer Produces Eye Shadows And Makeup

June 2, 2014 By Twila Van Leer

Grace Choi presenting at TechCrunch Disrupt NY 2014

More and more people are looking for ways to make 3D printing pay. Grace Choi is one of those who has found a practical use for the technology. She invented Mink as a way to “print” makeup allowing users to pick designer colors from images.

The Next Big Thing

3D printing is being touted as the next big thing in computer technology, a process in which a computer replicates an item by adding layers of a chosen material, following a digital pattern. It is expected to blossom over the next few years into multiple uses as diverse as body replacement parts and food products.

Choi explained her Mink process to interested critics during the TechCrunch Disrupt NY2014 meeting in early May. It was held at the Manhattan Center in New York and was an opportunity for innovators to share their concepts incorporating 3D printing.

Mink's 3D Printer Prints Eye Shadow, Lipstick And More — Mink’s 3D Printer Prints Eye Shadow, Lipstick And More

Make Up Ingredients

Choi started from the premise that almost all makeup products are created from basic substrates, whether it ends up in pricey high-class shops or on the shelves of the neighborhood has-it-all shopping center. Problem is, these outlets don’t cover the waterfront in color and shade, but tend to cater to a mid-range of customers. Mink allows endless choices.

Computer Generated Color Selections

She looked at the principle that the basic contents of makeup are the same and developed that concept into computer-generated makeup that can employ any color imaginable to suit the maker. Using software that already exists, the operator can print powder, blush, eye shadow, lip gloss or any other type of makeup. Imagine getting up in the morning and custom-designing your makeup to match your clothing selection for the day. (And the gurus predict that some day, 3D printing will be used to produce that dress you want to match, as well!)

3D printer technology allows picking colors directly from digital photos.

Choi told the New York panel that her pre-production research showed that those who buy makeup don’t tend to be resolutely loyal to any particular brand, but are looking for convenience. What’s more convenient than your own home?

Serial Inventor

The young woman innovator, who terms herself a “serial inventor,” said she had plenty of failures as she worked toward Mink. But she is looking forward to putting her product on the market later this year, at a suggested price of $200 per unit. The target buyer group will be those 13 to 21, a demographic that is not firmly set in its makeup-buying habits.

Future Plans

At the same time, she will keep researching and hoping to alliances with companies that can enhance the prospects for success. She will be talking with some of the big printers such as Epson to see if deals can be made that would be rewarding for her and for them as the role of 3D printing increases. She continues to study how she can make Mink competitive with the mass market. Her big selling point is the number and variety of colors that can be used in Mink.

She is keeping a finger on the pulse of fashion and talking with those who influence fashion trends.

Look for more uses for 3D printing as innovators such as Choi really get down to the job.

Visit Coolchecks.net/blog for more 3D Printer stories.

Correcting Your Credit Report

May 31, 2014 By Twila Van Leer

Errors can keep you from qualifying for a home purchase.

What used to be “a brick wall” consumers crashed into when they tried to correct information on their credit reports is falling, Money Magazine reports. Errors on your credit report often influence an individual’s ability to buy a home or make other major financial decisions.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has pushed for easier ways to make corrections in the reports. Three major credit reporting companies, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, have always been convinced that they need to allow customers to dispute mistakes but now they are making that process streamlined by offering a way for consumers to do it online and in greater detail. The companies have changed their complaint systems in response to the CFPB pressure, the magazine states.

Under the new processes, the reporting agencies are obligated to forward materials provided by the customer to the creditor. If the alleged errors are confirmed, the creditor is obligated to fix the errors with all three of the reporting agencies. In 2011, the agencies received about 8 million complaints about errors in their reports.

To submit disputes online use these addresses:

Trans Union
Equifax
Experian
To receive a free report once a year go to:
Annual Credit Report

You must have the number of your credit report to access these sites.

To expedite the correction of mistakes, contact both the credit bureau and the organization that provided the information to the bureau. Both are obliged under terms of the Fair Credit Reporting Act to correct inaccurate or incomplete information in your report.

Usually after you have reported specific mistakes in your credit report, the credit bureau must investigate within 30 days, unless they consider your complaint frivolous. Include copies of documents that support your complaint, not the originals. It might be well to include a copy of the erroneous report with the information you are contesting clearly identified. State your complaint and add material to support your position. Request that the erroneous material be deleted or corrected. Be sure your complete name and address are included. Make copies of the correspondence and send the letter by certified mail.

Notify the creditor who has received the erroneous report that you are disputing the information and are in touch with the credit bureau. If the provider chooses to correspond with the bureau, he should include a notice of your dispute. Ask for copies of their correspondence. The process takes 30 to 90 days.

Check your credit reports on a regular basis so that you can keep your buying power strong.

Is There A 3D Printer In Your Future?

May 28, 2014 By Twila Van Leer

Princeton University Creates A 3D Bionic Ear

The impact of 3D printers, predicted by the industry to be huge, has stuttered a little, mostly due to patent/intellectual property issues, but be assured it’s coming. The future almost certainly holds 3D applications that will affect individual users and the mass market in ways hard to imagine.

The technology involves using a three-dimensional “pattern” to guide a computer in laying down layers of materials in a process they have dubbed “additive manufacturing.” The expected uses range from the creation of small toys, jewelry, makeup and edible goods to body replacement parts and large-scale manufacturing of a host of items. To date, patents have been issued for 45 different materials intended for use in 3D printing, including ceramics, clay, palladium, paper, rubber, silver, titanium and wax.

The myriad anticipated uses are just coming into being. Likely to be in general use first are these applications:

Medical: Researchers already are using 3D printers to do bioprinting – creating of tiny strips of organ tissue and facial appendages including ears and noses. The predictions envision printed organs such as kidneys and livers. Initially, these printed organs will likely be used for testing drugs and vaccines. Ultimately, they could fill the huge gaps in the availability of viable human organs and the numbers of patients who need them.

Pete Basiliere, a leading analyst of 3D printing potential, predicts that the advances in organ printing will outpace the public’s understanding and acceptance of the technology. 3D organ printing, he assumes, will join similar medical advances, such as organ transplantation and use of stem cells to treat patients, in a learning curve before the public adopts the idea. The same ethical questions that have been raised about artificial hearts and other cutting-edge technologies are likely to be debated: Are humans trying to play God? Are new medical innovations creating “rich men’s remedies” that will exclude the poor? If the past is an indicator, the life-saving benefits of the new technologies will triumph, Basiliere expects.

Another potential medical use is creation of prosthetic limbs. A 13-year-old girl who lost an arm in a boating accident was fitted by students at Washington University with a 3D-created prosthesis that used about $200 worth of materials, a stark contrast to the $6,000 cost of similar devices created by current processes. Another girl from Illinois, who was born without fingers, was fitted with an operating set of plastic fingers at a cost of $5. A high school engineering class created the prosthesis. In Canada, researchers are working toward 3D printing processes to create prosthetic limbs for victims of civil war injuries in Uganda.

The fashion industry dressed models in outfits created by 3D in the New York Fashion Week shows in 2013. Such eminent performers as Lady Gaga have garbed themselves in 3D dresses. She wore the world’s first “flying dress” to the 20133 ArtRave. The world’s first 3D printed bikini, the N12, is named for the material a computer used to create it: Nylon 12.

Some organizations devoted to the war on global poverty see the potential for such things as solving water hygiene problems in Third World countries. They envision needy people using “mini factories” to create products that would provide them a living. 3D may provide simple answers to such pervasive problems as hand sanitation in refugee camps.

There’s a good chance that one of your next automobiles will be created through 3D printing. A prototype, the Urbee, has been designed by Kor Ecologic. The two-seater gets up to 200 miles per gallon of fuel. Estimated cost: about $20,000.

Personal 3D printers are likely to join the standard electronic equipment in the vast majority of American homes. At present, they’re generally expensive and hard to operate. Some require hand assembly. However, there is little doubt in the minds of those who know about such things that the problems will be resolved and that affordable 3D will be available. But there’s a long road ahead until such technology finds its logical and practical uses for most Americans.

3D Printing: What’s In The Future?

May 23, 2014 By Twila Van Leer

Ipad stand manufactured with a 3D printer.

Ideas abound about possible applications of 3D printing: body replacement parts, building components, do-it-yourself cosmetics, jewelry, eyewear, wearing apparel, foods (how about broccoli shaped like a dinosaur for fussy toddlers?) etc. etc. You name it.

The concept of using computer-guided additive technology to build items layer by layer has been around since the 1980s, but the technology is still in its infancy. Chuck Hull of 3D Systems Corp. created the first 3D printer in 1984. The first application was prototyping. At the time, there were predictions that the technology eventually would be used in mass production and distributed manufacturing, but the predictions were made with a caveat: it would take time. Some of those production roles went into practical use in the 2010s, and the technology is gradually creeping into all sorts of applications.

Michelangelo would be astounded. The technique is just the opposite of his famed 1500s approach to sculpture: He posited that inside every block of stone there was a figure waiting to be found. 3D printing does it in reverse, building from the inside out, adding layer by layer of material in different shapes as the computer dictates. Widespread use of 3D printing could replace processes now in use, such as the cutting and drilling (subtractive) methods used in traditional machining.

Creation of a Computer-Assisted Design (CAD) for the desired product starts the process. The 3D scanner then translates the model into digital, three-dimensional measurements. The computer then directs layers of the material being used, conforming to the digital model. Layers are fused by heating, curing, centering, lamination or photo polymerization into a single object.

Sales of additive manufacturing equipment have skyrocketed since the turn of the century and prices are dropping as more companies pick up the technology. Wohlers Associates, a consultant, reported that the market generated $2.2 billion worldwide in 2012, an increase of 29 percent over 2011. The concept is gradually moving into architecture, construction, industrial design, automotive, aerospace, military, medical, GPS systems, foods and other applications.

In some applications, 3D is used alongside traditional subtractive processes, combined by the computer to make the best use of both approaches.

The 3D printing advances are good news for consumers, since the ability to mass produce items at less cost will reduce the price tag at the point of purchase. Use of 3D printers may offset capital costs for the producers and ideally the savings will be passed along to consumers. The process of getting products to the market has been complicated and slowed, the experts say, by a flood of complex patent issues. Some potential users have been reluctant to dive into the competition because they fear lawsuits, they conjecture.

Even so, as 2014 got into gear, at least 22 commercial applications of the technology in fields as diverse as construction, defense and foods were established. Obviously, the story of 3D Printing in modern life is in the early stages of Chapter One. Look for the announcement of new advances at an escalating rate.

It is conceivable that 3D desktop printers will join the computer as standard home equipment. Amazon advertises an 11-pound printer that fabricates objects using thermoplastic filament purchased separately. Finished products must stay within the size guidelines — 4.5 inches cubed, in this case. The price for this version is just below $600. But the potential could make every owner of a 3D printer an inventor, sculptor or chef, depending on objectives.

There is a downside. A 3D printer is capable of manufacturing items — think guns — that could be dangerous in the wrong hands. In 2013, a self-styled anarchist designed, created and printed a plastic gun using the technology. He shared the information with some 1000,000 interested individuals via the Internet before the U.S. government closed down the site. A Japanese man was arrested this year for possession of five 3D printed guns. What other illegal or dangerous uses could be made of the technology almost surely will be part of the ongoing story.

What Not To Buy In 2014

May 19, 2014 By Twila Van Leer

Save Money On Traveling — Extra Leg Room On Trips – Is It Worth The Price?

Technologies are changing and require more review of intended purchases if you’re in the market for products. Here is a list of products from around the web that you might want to avoid if you want to keep your money in your wallet.

1 – Landlines

Landline telephone services are rapidly being replaced by wireless phones. Two in five households had switched to wireless the first half of last year, up slightly from the first half of 2012. In the past decade, some 90 million adults, 38 percent of the population, became wireless-only. Scrapping the landline allows you to drop one of the monthly bills. And you needn’t be restricted to a cellphone. There’s Skype, which is free and puts you in touch with friends and family around the world via smartphone and other devices. FaceTime video may be free with a Wi-Fi connection. MagicJack Plus can be connected to a USB port, computer or regular phone router. It may cost $49.95 for the device and six months of service, after which the monthly service is $1.67 to $2.50 per month. Some folks may want to retain their landline as well. There is more security in case of disruptions caused by bad weather or other problems.

2 – GPS

Before investing up to $300 to purchase a GPS device, look at new developments that serve the same purpose. There are GPS apps on many smartphones, a fair number of them free to upload. A growing number of new cars come with a GPS option. Forty-nine percent of 2013 vehicles have a navigation system.

3 – Cable Television

Cable television is being replace by other technologies. Since 2004, subscribers to cable have been dropping out in favor of services such as Hulu and Netflix NFLX, which provide comparable service at a much lower cost. Using an Internet connection, consumers can stream many cable shows, news programs and sports events, as well as movies, directly to their TVs. Some channels offer access to programs through their websites. These services are available primarily to those who don’t care if their shows have been previously aired and who are willing to give up live programming.

4 – Hotel Rooms

The demand for hotel rooms, along with their rates, are going up. There are some alternatives, including apartments and homes where prices are lower and there is usually more space. The average daily rate at U.S. hotels is $110.59, up 4.1 percent from 2012 and 12.6 percent from 2010. The average is expected to rise to $115.68 in 2014, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers. Agencies such as Airbnb and Vacation Rentals By Owners, offer an assortment of homes you can rent. Some provide free airport pickup and drop-off services. This approach is particularly effective for large groups or families traveling together. Advantages may include many bedrooms and facilities for meal preparation. The downside: such arrangements usually offer less security than do hotels.

5 – DVD & Blue-Ray Players

DVD and Blue Ray player sales are down. Sales for DVD and Blu-ray units totaled 21.3 million in 20l2. That’s down 20-plus percent from a year prior and 24.8 percent from 2010. More people are opting to stream movies from Internet services such as Hulu and Netflix. Many gamers can use their consoles to watch DVDs.

6 – Computers

Desktop and laptop computers are becoming obsolete to a degree. Tablets perform the same functions and they’re portable. The price differential is considerable, with Apple’s IMac starting at $1,299, compared with an iPad at $299. Graphic designers and traders, obviously, will find it necessary to stay with large screens, but for the vast majority of users, the smaller versions fill the bill. Worldwide shipments of PCs fell 4 percent in 2012 over the prior year, an indication that PCs are losing ground in the computer market.

7 – Leg Room On Airplanes

Airlines are changing their approaches to giving passengers more amenities — for a fee. It has been common practice to provide an extra three to six inches of legroom in coach for an additional cost of up to $180. The seats often are in the exit rows or the first row in economy. But for a payment of $100 to $200, a traveler can be upgraded to business class, where seats are more comfortable and service is more accommodating. These are options that used to be reserved for frequent fliers, but now they are offered to any passenger willing to pay a bit more when they check in or at the gate.

8 – Credit Cards With Rewards

Credit card companies are altering rewards programs. Consumers should be wary now of promotions that offer rewards in points or miles. Many of the card issuers are requiring a greater outlay by the consumer to get the “free reward” they could have obtained earlier with fewer points. Many of the cards now come with annual fees ranging from $30 to $75. Instead, consider a credit card with a cash-back offering, a much more straightforward plan. The usual kickback is 1 percent to 5 percent of the number of dollars involved in the purchase.

9 – Digital Cameras

Digital cameras are suffering an identity crisis. With competition from cell phones with photo capacities and an expanding range of options for picture-takers with particular goals in mind, there is a confusing array of choices. Digital point-and-shoot cameras that have been the rage for years are seeing a decline in demand. Sales are down some 44 percent since 2012 and they’re expected to keep dropping. “Real” photographers are choosing larger, DSLR cameras, while those bent on action shots are finding models such as the Go-Pro best meet their needs. Be sure that what you get is what you really want.

10 – Credit Reports

By law, credit card reports cannot be more than $11.50 per report. Your credit score is often not included in these reports. You can order three different FICO scores – one from each credit reporting bureau – but it will cost you – $59.85. Some credit cards like Discover Card are showing customers credit scores every month when consumers sign on to their accounts. You can’t beat free credit scores!

As a consumer we want you to save money on all your purchases in 2014. If you know about other good savings tips, please share with us!