3D Doodling

The advent of 3D printing introduced the convenience of quickly making designs a reality. Now the world's first 3D printing pen is being launched which allows for drawing three-dimensional structures in the air or on surfaces to create flat objects for stacking and connecting. The pen, named 3Doodler, uses ABS plastic, the same material found in many 3D printers. The quick-setting plastic solidifies in an instant, making it ready for handling.

Copying things: Good or Bad?

James Dyson, the British industrial designer, is struggling to stop other companies trying to sell their ripped-off copies of Dyson’s innovations. In a recent Court of Appeal case (2011), Dyson lost its claim against Vax, over the copying of its vacuum cleaners, despite having won the same case in France. "This was a senior patent judge suggesting copying things is a good thing. It’s a bad idea and if you think it increases competition you’re entirely wrong. If you uphold the law the plagiarists have to come up with new ideas", argues Dyson.