JASON: NOW ON SUNRISE, 3D PRINTING HAS TAKEN OVER THE WORLD IN RECENT YEARS, AND NOW YOU CAN LEARN HOW IT WORKS. MEREDITH: WESH 2’S ALEX ALECCI IS AT THE ORLANDO SCIENCE CENTER TO SHOW US HOW 3D PRINTING IS NOT ONLY FUN, BUT CAN ALSO HELP WITH ACCESSIBILITY AND EDUCATION. ALEX: HELLO, EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO “THE SCIENCE OF IT.” WHAT KIND OF COOL ACTIVITIES WE DOING THIS WEEK? >> WE WILL BE MAKING THINGS WITH PLASTIC. I AM GOING TO CHALLENGE YOU TO TRY TO REPLICATE THIS. WE ARE GOING TO DO THIS WITH A SPECIAL KIND OF PLASTIC LIKE PLA. THIS IS CALLED A 3D DOODLER. IT ALLOWS US TO DRAW WITH PLASTIC. DO YOU THINK YOU WILL BE ABLE TO COPY THIS AND MAKE THE SAME THING USING THAT UTENSIL? >> I WILL GIVE IT A SHOT BUT I AM NOT OPTIMISTIC. I CAN BARELY MAKE A CIRCLE OUT OF THIS THING. [LAUGHTER] >> THAT IS OK, ALEX. THIS WAS THREE BE PRINTED SO IT WAS MADE USING THE THING YOU ARE USING NOW. BUT INSTEAD, A 3D PRINTING WITH A COMPUTER MODEL TO SAY WHERE TO PUT THAT PLASTIC. THIS WAS ABLE TO PRINT OUT AT THE SCIENCE CENTER. >> WHAT CAN YOU USE A 3D PRINTER FOR? YOU CAN MAKE COOL THINGS, BUT I’M SURE THERE IS A PURPOSE AS WELL. >> YOU CAN MAKE PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING WITH THE 3D PRINTER. THE MAIN BENEFIT IS NORMALLY IF YOU WANT TO MAKE SOMETHING, IN ORDER TO BE COST-EFFECTIVE TO PURCHASE ONE, YOU HAVE TO MAKE THOUSANDS OF THEM. WITH 3D PRINTING, YOU ONLY HAVE TO MAKE ONE. YOU CAN MAKE THINGS FOR A SMALLER MARKET FOR MORE SPECIALIZED CASES. THAT IS IMPORTANT IN CERTAIN MARKETS SUCH AS THE ACCESSIBILITY MARKET. WHAT I HAVE IS A 3D PRINTED CHESSBOARD. YOU MIGHT NOTICE THERE ARE NO RAISED PIECES LIKE YOU MIGHT EXPECT TO BE ON A CHESSBOARD. INSTEAD, ON EACH OF THESE PIECES, IT IS IN BRAILLE TO TELL SOMEBODY WHO IS VISUALLY IMPAIRED WHAT EACH PIECE IS. AS I TILT THIS BOARD AROUND, THE PIECES ARE NOT FALLING OFF. THEY ARE ABLE TO LOCK INTO THE DIFFERENT GROOVES ON THE BOARD SO THAT IF YOU ARE REACHING OUT, YOU WILL NOT KNOCK THE PIECES OVER AND RUIN THE GAME. >> THEY ARE MIRRORED ON EACH SIDE SO THEY CAN FEEL WHERE EACH PIECE IS. >> EXACTLY. THAT IS NOT SOMETHING YOU’RE GOING TO SELL MILLIONS OF, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO WILL BE USING THEM. OTHER ACCESSIBILITY ITEMS, THIS IS MY FAVORITE, A 3D PRINTED MAP. FEEL EACH OF THOSE GROOVES AND EDGES. THOSE ARE REPRESENTING THE DIFFERENT BUILDINGS AND STREETS. IF YOU’RE MANEUVERING THROUGH A CITY AND YOU CANNOT SEE WELL OR READ A MAP, YOU CAN USE THIS TO FIND YOUR WAY AROUND. >> THAT IS SO CLEVER. >> THERE ARE OTHER ITEMS USED IN EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES AS WELL. I AM SURE IN SCIENCE CLASS YOU MAY HAVE DISSECTED A FROG BEFORE AT SOME POINT. SO WE HAVE HERE A MOCK 3D PRINTED FROG THAT ALLOWS YOU TO TEACH ANATOMY TO STUDENTS. YOU WANT TO GIVE IT A GO, SEE WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE INSIDE? >> A LOT LESS SLIMY, AND IT IS REPEATABLE. >> THIS WOULD ALLOW TEACHERS TO USE A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT MODELS TO TEACH ANATOMY. DIFFERENT SUBJECTS AS WELL. WHAT I HAVE RIGHT HERE IS A 3D PRINT MOUNT VESUVIUS IN ITALY. YOU CAN FEEL AND SEE THE TEXTURES AND CONTOURS OF THE MOUNTAIN RATHER THAN LOOKING AT A STATIC PICTURE. IT ALLOWS LEARNERS TO BE KINESTHETIC AND GET HANDS-ON. IT ALLOWS US TO PRINT SOME PRETTY COOL STUFF. WHY DON’T YOU PULL OUT THAT T-REX’S GOAL? >> WE CAN SAY THIS IS EDUCATIONAL AS WELL. >> IT IS ALSO JUST DOWNRIGHT COOL. YOU CAN USE 3D PRINTING TO CALL ALL SORTS OF COOL STUFF. WE PRINTED THIS AT THE SCIENCE CENTER. WE MAKE A LOT OF OUR OWN EXHIBITS. THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS WE USED TO SHOW THE ANATOMY OF A T-REX. >> IF SOMEBODY WANTED TO TRY THIS FOR THEMSELVES, THEY DON’T HAVE TO GO OUT AND BUY A 3D PRINTER, THEY CAN CHECK IT OUT HERE. >> THAT IS RIGHT. WE HAVE A MAKERS SPACE CALLED THE HIVE AND WE RUN WORKSHOPS ON SOME WEEKENDS TO LEARN HOW TO 3D PRINTING YOUR OWN CUSTOMIZED TOKEN. THERE ARE ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES IN OUR MAKERS SPACE WHERE YOU LEARN HANDS-ON SKILLS TO MAKE REAL THINGS. >> SO IF SOME BUT HE WANTED INFORMATION ON SCHEDULING, WHERE CAN THEY GO? >> OSC.ORG WILL HAVE INFORMATION ON PROGRAMMING AND EVENTS COMING UP. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHOWING ALL THIS 3D PRINTING STUFF OFF, AND THANKS FOR JOINING US IN “THE SCIENCE OF IT.” MEREDITH: IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE OTHER COOL STUFF HAPPENI