2017-02-19

Notes.

Hi, it's Jordan Husney, co-founder of Parabol. I'm filling in for Spencer this week while he and his wife continue on-the-job post-processing training for their greatest manufacturing project yet: 👶.

I had the honor of working with Spencer on developing an Advanced Manufacturing strategy with our former client, GE, when we were both consultants. If you haven't met him personally, I'd like to take a few moments to toot his horn. Here are a few words I wrote about him recently:Spencer, you're the best. Congratulations to you and your family! Now, onto links arranged in Spencer's "arbitrary/dumb" categories:

Planning & Strategy.

• Mark Zuckerberg read Sapiens, and now believes he can reform Facebook into a platform for developing a global, shared understanding. Good luck.
• Elon Musk is Really Boring...boring tunnels that is! The industrialist believes he can improve infrastructure by making subterranean works more economical.
• Image Synthesis From Text With Deep Learning. Perhaps the most stunning leap in generative AI I've ever seen. It's happening so quickly.

Making & Manufacturing.

• A video demonstration of how maglev vehicles work.
• Something3D has developed a full-color FFF printer.
• IKEA have adapted their 2013 wedge dowel to a joint at the top of their new Lisbo table legs, saving parts and assembly time.
• Color film was built for white people. Here's what it did to dark skin.
• The R&D company Draper is developing a cybernetic, bio-engineered dragonfly to "carry payloads or conduct surveillance."

Maintenance, Repair & Operations.

• The Netherlands have some brilliantly designed intersections.
• Slow motion arc welding, set to music by Moby.
• Scientists in New Zealand are experimenting with applying Gene Drive to eradicate invasive mice. By spreading genes that only allow male offspring, it would end the species. Spreading

Distribution & Logistics.

• Watch a video of SpaceX's hyperloop race, a competition of half-scale demonstration vehicles on a test track. For those watching closely, this demonstration comes less than 4 years after Elon Musk's 2013 Hyperloop whitepaper.

Tangents.

• Radio Garden, a beautifully executed browser for every commercial radio station stream on Earth
• Where Slang Comes by Matt Daniels of The Pudding

Credit to Nick Pinkston & Katie Hoban's newsletter for some link inspiration. If you see something, send something :)

And.

Planet Labs launched 88 satellites to orbit.