Maybe I'm behind on the latest technology, because when my boss said "hey, check this out and maybe write a blog post about it", my first response was "Wait a sec...3D printing? How is that possible Scotty!?". Being the most patient IT guy (and no, not just because he signs the check), he took the time to blow my mind and explain how this technology works (insert timely and accurate YouTube video here).
My understanding of this is that there is liquid plastic in a tube being pushed through a fine tip at just the right speed and amount. The plastic is then solidified by another apparatus nearby, allowing subsequent layers of the object to be seamlessly compiled. The program running this machinery calibrates the rate, placement, and amount of plastic coming through the tip to produce the desired object; each object able to be produced has a separate blueprint design and machinery calibration.
DISCLAIMER: Mind you, this is a super simplified and rudimentary understanding of this technology; by know means do I claim comprehensive knowledge of it's capabilities and implications.
Nevertheless, this was the background behind the article suggested to me by the BossMan (computer genius, mastermind, and uniquely patient IT guy).
Now for the article...
"3D-Printed ‘Bump Key’ Can Open Almost Any Lock" Posted Aug 27, 2014 by John Biggs (@johnbiggs) on TechCrunch.com
To read the full article: http://techcrunch.com/2014/08/27/3d-printed-bump-key-can-open-almost-any-lock/?ncid=rss&cps=gravity
In this article they explained one of the potential uses for the 3D printing technology and how this could affect the everyday man--anyone who relies on a lock to keep belongings, and their person-hood safe. Of course, with any technology, there will be those with less than benevolent intentions and altruistic motivations. These particular folks are not to be blamed, in many ways they force the refinement of these innovations, and many previous technologies have been made better after being affronted by such persons. I digress.
The implication of this article is such that simple locks are not nearly as safe as they were intended. With this technology, one could simply take a detail picture of the keyhole, with a focus on the pins at the back of the lock, input this information into a 3-D printer (don't ask me how), and voila! You'd then have a plastic rendition of what locksmiths have been using for years--a "bump key"; which could then be inserted into the lock, whacked with a hammer (it's all in the wrist), jarring the pins and opening the lock to allow entry.
The closing line of the article asks an all too timely question, after wrapping my mind (and maybe yours too) around this concept; "If anyone with a 3D printer and a camera can make a key, why have locks?" How would anyone be able to rest in safety knowing that if someone wanted to, they could bypass moralistic permissions, and basic logistical barriers, to enter our home, vehicle, safe (and the like) for purposes specific to them? I don't have answers to these questions, but I rest knowing that I'm not the only person asking this question, and seeking answers.
This is another prime example of how technology is shaping the lives we lead, the habits we build, and the minute details of daily life. Whether it's feeding the cat, reading the newspaper, getting morning coffee, basic hygiene, commuting to work (digitally or otherwise), meal preparation, relationship building, work completion, monetary acquisition, or securing these acquisitions (digitally or otherwise)--technology plays a large roll in how these are done.
Now, more than ever there is technology to unlock (pun intended) the unfathomable potential of the human endeavor...
my friends, I beg you, use wisely.
-Sarah-
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