Happy New Year to all, lets hope for a better 2022!

This gallery contains 1 photo.

Well, 2021 has come to a close. I am presently fighting the flu and a sinus infection, considering 2021 and 2020 it does not surprise me. I hope 2022 is a good one for all. We will continue to try and do reviews, beta testing especially in 3d printing-related technology, and drones amongst other techs. […]

Sculpto+: The world’s most user-friendly desktop 3D printer A cool new polar based printer!

We are intrigued by this new Polar Coordinate based 3d printer:

According to Sculpto:

About this project

3D printers are one of the coolest and most efficient ways for you to make your ideas go from the drawing board and into real life.

Two years ago we launched a new type of 3D printer on Kickstarter. We wanted to make the amazing world of 3D printing available to everyone – not just engineers and tech-savvy people. We believe everyone should be able to bring their ideas to life. We started delivering that dream a year ago and opened a world of 3D printing for regular people and schools all over Denmark. Since then we have refined our production and software while developing Sculpto+

The result is a small 3D printer with one of the biggest print areas seen on a plug’n’play printer. We have maximized printing performance while eliminating the noise and inconveniences of 3D printing – we have made the perfect desktop 3D printer. And the best part: Everyone can use it!

 

 

Sculpto+ is a small 3D printer. It only weighs 2.7 KG and is about the size of your household coffeemaker, but has a printing volume of 5 liters! You can print objects at the size of a football (Soccer)! If you compare the build volume of Sculpto+ to other consumer printers in the same category and price range you will discover the print volume of Sculpto+ is up to 5 times bigger.  

Thanks to the compact design and the built-in handle the printer can easily be moved from room to room or house to house without any trouble.

 

We would love to get one to test, review and help education too. It looks quite nice, easy to use and well designed.

It has integration with Thingiverse:

 

When you have a 3D printer you also need some nice things to print. That’s why you can browse between a selection of cool models that can be printed directly from the Sculpto App to your Sculpto+ 3D printer. It’s easy and convenient. You can download the app on Google Play and App Store or you can access the printer directly from your browser via our web app. We are currently in the process of developing the app into a new and improved version where our upcoming ‘model engine’ will collect quality content from Thingiverse and present it to you in a even more user-friendly way.

You can look forward to receiving a product that keeps getting better as we push new updates with cool features and improvements.

 

We are huge fans of 3d printing, and stem education, and find that this printer seems it would be great for educational purposes!

Check them out on Kickstarter –> Scultpo

Here is a nice video that they did to talk about the printer–>

Please check us out on youtube too!

Our youtube channel

Geeetch Announces The Education-based 3D Printer E180 Launching Soon on Kickstarter for $199!!

The Education-based 3D Printer E180 Launching Soon on Kickstarter for $199

3D printing technology is a boon to facilitate the development of STEAM education, as testified by unlimited successful teaching cases worldwide. Geeetech, a Shenzhen based 3D printer manufacturer, is gearing up to launch a crowdfunding campaign for its new education-based 3D printer, E180, priced at $199, 33% off its retail price.

 

The aim of this Kickstarter funding is to encourage more and more like-minded friends to bring this enlightening technology to children and the classroom. Through hands-on play, children could grow up with confidence, perseverance, and systematic goal-completion competence and prepare themselves for future career planning.

Engineered to be affordable and reliable, E180 comes fully assembled and exquisitely crafted, with its black and white color combination imparting a touch of simplicity and elegance. Its necessary components, such as motors, fans, power supply units, control board and wires, are entirely enclosed in the frame, ensuring that this tiny device fits to the classroom and your home in great harmony. Besides, using PLA filament, a kind of safe and environment-friendly printing materials, adds to the security coefficient of E180.

What sets E180 apart from other congeneric products are its practical and convenient features. This new machine is characterized with a 3.2″ full-color touch screen, break-resuming capability, Wi-Fi connectivity, cloud 3D printing solution, EasyPrint 3D App and its self-developed printing and control software EasyPrint 3D. All these functions are iterated for many times, for the purpose of rendering E180 easy-to-manage and suitable for teaching and learning.

With the vision of making children more enthusiastic about science, technology, engineering, art and math by employing 3D printing technology, Geeetch’s crowdfunding for E180, such a considerate learning aide and cost-efficient option for kids, will start soon. Please invest your own effort to bring this funding campaign to life~ Children’s education is in need of YOU! Check the Kickstarter page.

Here is a video of the new printer in action. We are looking forward to getting our hands on one to test and review and to use it benefit stem education programs in our area.

Please also check us out on youtube as well!

TECHNEWSZONE.COM-YOUTUBE CHANNEL!

Our efforts to help education and autism via 3d printing and technology!

TechNewsZone.com, and we are  currently in pending non-profit status. I am David and our  company seeks to help by donating technology, time, and care to people and families affected by autism. One of his biggest interests is in the 3D printing industry. 3D printing is the perfect blend of art and science, and presents a fantastic way for anyone with forms of educational disabilities to gain an interest in technology and get involved in their community.ProMolt 3D and Technewszone 3D printingWe are using ProMolt 3D filament on an Orion Delta 3D printer to bring learning to life to those with educational disabilities.We recently received 3 other printers to help our efforts and review.

We have a Hatchbox 3d Alpha:
A Upbox Mini 2:

and a Wanhao I3 Plus:

and a Afinibot A5!

If anyone want us to do a free or for donation event in Southern Nevada please let me know.

Last year, TechNewsZone was able to partner with Robo3D to donate one of their 3D printers to a local special education teacher. David has run many events with special education classes, as well as with his local Girl Scouts of America branch. The impact of sparking interest in young minds can’t be understated – the 3D printing industry is going to reach amazing heights in the next decade and it will be pushed even further by the kids that David works so hard to inspire!David is a skilled 3D printer, and writes many reviews on his site and keeps the autism community up-to-date on the latest, greatest trends via his Twitter account. To learn more about how you could help David and TechNewsZone.com make a difference in the lives of people with autism, check out his donor page and his mission statement. To see his thoughts on ProMolt 3D PLA filament, check out his reviews page and make sure you share his message on Facebook and Twitter.Full Article–> Link 

 

Please help us to make a difference!
Donation!

Promolt 3d Tested and loved their filament!

We received a sample of Promolt3d’s black and one of their white filament.

According to the folks at Promolt3d :
 

“ProMolt 3D is committed to providing the best filament to help 3D printing enthusiasts bring their creations to life. 3D printing is revolutionizing the manufacturing industry as well as the art world. ProMolt 3D wants to give both sides the common factor to help them succeed – a quality, easy to use filament that keeps the creations coming. We think we have found a winner in ProMolt 3D PLA that delivers the highest quality and the best price.”
Inline image 1
Initially a team of engineers using 3D printing for prototyping designs, we now
share our passion by creating quality filament and nurturing a community to
support the desktop 3D printer user.
 
At ProMolt 3D we believe in the future. A future driven
by creativity and passion that expands our world.
We make products that empower our customers to dream bigger,
to believe stronger and to become the future.
So far the filament is performing well, we tested some on the Seemecnc Orion Delta printer and we are also testing some on a Shining 3d Einstart -S as well. The filament is performing well so far.  So far they seem to offer a limited selection so far however it works well.
According to Promolt3d:

Product Description

ProMolt 3D focuses on providing our customers the best 3D printing experience possible. This starts by providing professional grade quality filament at affordable prices. Our blend of filament is created using premium virgin materials through a high precision manufacturing process that ensures diameter tolerance accuracy verification through dual electronic laser diameter gauges.

Not only is this premium filament placed on a spool designed to fit most printers, but also is free of bubbles and impurities to ensure your first print is your only print.

Finest Material – 100% virgin Nature Works resin

Environmentally Friendly – Made from biodegradable materials

Long Lasting – Over 330m/1080ft of filament per spool

Satisfaction Guaranteed – 100% refund if not happy with the product

Tested Material Properties – ProMolt 3D Material Specifications page

We are really impressed by the filament that we received from them it works, well, produced nice quality output too.
IMG_0850 (1)
They are also trying to help us in our efforts to help education and autism too see the link–>

Help us to help autism see link Promolt3d our autism efforts link!

Our impressions of the Vivitek Novo Pro Presentation Collaboration Device

a.Vivitek-NovoPro We recently had the opportunity to test and review the Vivetek Novopro Presentation and Collaboration device.

According to Vivitek, it is:
NovoPRO is a wireless presentation and collaboration system designed to support highly interactive and collaborative meetings or classroom learning activities. Meeting participants, instructors, teachers and students can interact and share digital content via their PCs, tablets, Chromebooks and smartphones — a true BYOD device.

NovoPRO supports true screen mirroring from iOS and Android devices. It features screen preview/moderator control, 4-to-1 projection, video streaming, instant response system (IRS), file sharing, and access to cloud-based resources. Built-in, whiteboard-interactive features encourage meeting or classroom participation, and all Novo’s can be managed remotely over the network. The built-in Ethernet port allows for dual-network connection to accommodate Corporate/Guest or Student/Faculty networks.

The NovoPRO can also be optionally equipped with the Launcher; a USB-connected device with software preloaded that, with the insertion and click of the Launcher, displays the computer screen. A true plug-n-play-to-display solution.
Request for demonstration. within your facility by a Novo Specialist. If you are a corporation, university or school region/district looking to standardize your BYOD infrastructure, click the link below:
– See more at: http://www.vivitekusa.com/productdetail.php?product_id=151#sthash.CGO0C3BF.dpuf
We tested our demo unit from a few devices and in few ways. I used an Android Laptop and an Ipad to do a presentation and wirelessly sent it to an older DLP television. After a bit of set up and a brief learning curve I was able to get it to allow me to show a presentation from the 2 tablets on the tv. I also tried streaming video from the TV and the 2 tablets as well. As long as the presentation software recognized the codec of the video then it worked rather well. It did not play all the videos we tried to stream but it did work well most of the time. The device would be great for educational and business applications.

Here is an image of the devices ports and connections:

 

 

In summary it is a devices which is:

A Pro Presentation and Collaboration System Output: HDMI (1080p, 4K 60FPS) Integrated wired network capability Works with LauncherPro Connectivity: Up to 64 users can simultaneously connect; Up to 4 users can simultaneously present on the screen Compatability: Windows, Mac, ChromeBook, iOS, Android Features: Voting, Annotation, Whiteboard, Wireless hot-spot for up to 8 devices, Capture screenshot, Works with Dropbox and Google Drive. It would fit well in business and education as well as religious environments!

We were also sent the Vivitek Launcher tool which allows several users to collaborate and share video together during an education or business or other event. We tested it with a number of devices and it worked well and allow sharing of video and presentations between multiple users. It is a nice and productive business and educational tool.

 

The NovoPRO’s built-in Ethernet port and Wi-Fi module allow for standard dual network support so that both a wired and wireless connection can be accomplished to accommodate, for example, both guest and corporate networks. To make operation simple, the optional Launcher buttons allow for instantaneous screen sharing though this USB connected device. In a collaborative setting, the Launcher also has placement buttons for the four screen quadrants to provide an easy selection of multiple display devices. Lastly, the Launcher has the software preloaded, which makes it truly plug-n-plug to PCs or Macs. (No software installation is required.)

We found both devices to be rather easy to use, and they do what they are supposed to do and work rather well.

We liked the design of the devices, the ease of use, how well built they are, as well as their small size. They are really small and ought to fit in your bag to take with you and use on the go. The only improvement is there needs to be support for video types and codecs.

We appreciated the opportunity to test and reviews these fine Vivitek Products.

Our Pleasant experience with the Mbot by Makeblock.

We recently received a Blue wee robot called the Mbot from Makeblock. I assembled it with of one my teen aged sons. It was a fairly simple process and would be a great science project for Middle School or Elementary school or possibly high school science or computer classes.

mbot parts

After the robot was assembled we put it through its’ paces.

I also took it to a local autism organization and let the young folks there play with it too.

They kids liked the remote controlled operations and the follow the line on paper modes.

I also tried some programming with it and it performed well in that mode too.

mbot 3

In term of design the device is mostly made of metal, has nice solid wheels covered in rubber, and was a really amazing little device. It operated well on concrete, tile floors and carpet as well. I wish we would have such excellent devices when I was a kid in the 1980’s.

The young folks, autism educators, my teen aged sons and daughter and I were quite impressed with the Mbot.

We would love to test and review some of their cool robots too especially the ones with treads.

according to Makeblock–>

mBot is a low cost, easy-to-run robot kit for kids to get hands-on experience about graphical programming, electronics, robotics. It is an all-in-one solution for robotics learning and designed for STEM education.
Cute shape with easy assembly is our goal. mBot contains only about 45 pieces in total, so it is easy to have a sense of achievement for kids to assemble in 10 mins quickly.

I would definitely agree we really liked the wee robot.

For those who want to learn how to program:

Since Scratch2.0 is very popular in teachers and students as a graphical programming software, it has almost been proved to be the most easy-to-use graphical programming tool. So based on Scratch 2.0, we develop a new software mBlock to use Scratch-style coding to program Arduino and robots.

They offer a free download too of the software download link

Here is a link to Makerblock’s site to take a look at the mbot and learn more about these cool devices–> site link

mbot 1

We are huge fans of Makerblock and their educational learning tools.

An Autism Education Article–>The Power of Persistence By Carol Olechowski

In 2004, Garrett Butch and his wife, Christy, were concerned when their first child, Collin, then 15 months old, “was not progressing as his peers were.” Despite a pediatrician’s reassurances, the couple took him for testing, and, “after five months, we got the diagnosis we feared: autism,” Garrett recalled.

The diagnosis precipitated a struggle “to find the best way to work with Collin and ensure that he had a bright future. [But] the first month of treatment alone cost $4,000, and insurance covered $0.” The nest egg the couple had put away was soon gone.

Adding to their distress was the realization that “many more families could not afford therapy and were getting no help for their children,” said Garrett. Simultaneously, “Collin was beginning school, and many of his teachers lacked the training to work with him properly.”

The Butches “had learned Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) – a science of human behavior using empirically validated principles to change socially significant behaviors – and were spending countless hours working with Collin. We knew that if we could make it work, then we needed to find a way to help others.”

That way was Maximum Potential Kids. In 2007, the Butches “teamed up with a number of Ph.D.-BCBAs (Board-Certified Behavior Analysts) to create a platform that parents, professionals and schools could use to learn best practices in ABA,” Garrett explained.

Maximum Potential’s video-based format offers “valuable information, as well as samples to reinforce the training. Skills are broken down into a series of manageable, easy-to-learn steps. Students are provided multiple opportunities to practice and perfect each step.” Positive reinforcement, goals targeted to the individual learner’s needs, and progress tracking are also key to the program’s success.

Collin Butch takes his bike out for a spin.

Using ABA, “we have helped Collin reduce some behaviors, begin talking, work on basic skills, and verbalize wants and needs,” noted Garrett, a former history teacher. “We progressed into a curriculum that included taking what he learned in the classroom to the outside world and teaching him social skills. Collin is still autistic, but I believe that without ABA and our talented team of therapists, he would not have the life he has.”

Now 11, Collin “loves music and spelling. He dreams of being in the National Spelling Bee and wants to compete on ‘So You Think You Can Dance.’” He enjoys spending time with his parents and brother Ryan, 8, an athlete and “huge Yankees and Giants fan.”

Maximum Potential has helped others, too. The Alpharetta, Ga.-based program is used by more than 250 U.S. school districts, including the Los Angeles Unified, “the largest in the nation, with more than 9,000 students with autism”; Dallas; Little Rock, Ark.; Brevard County, Fla.; Norman, Okla.; and Stillwater, N.Y. “We also have clients in England, China, France, Russia, Australia, South Africa and Peru,” Garrett added.

The education courses Garrett took at UAlbany “really helped when Christy and I were creating Maximum Potential. Without the knowledge of how a classroom operates, or of the goals and needs of a school, I would have struggled to develop a program schools would use.” Garrett, a history major who played Great Danes football until an injury ended his career, also thanked “those who shaped me at the University” for instilling in him the persistence “to get through tough times by seeing long-term possibilities.”

Learn more about Maximum Potential at www.maximumpotentialkids.com.

Oscar® Winner Edward Saxon to Lead Online Education Program for Screenwriters

Limited seats available for insider’s deep dive into the business

LOS ANGELES, March 3, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — The Writers Store (www.writersstore.com), a division of F+W Media, announced “A Producer’s Guide to Navigating Your Screenwriting Career,” an eight-session online education course with Edward Saxon, producer of acclaimed films Silence of the Lambs, Adaptation and Philadelphia, will begin Friday March 7th.

 

“I’m thrilled to partner with The Writers Store on these webinars,” said Edward Saxon. “Despite Hollywood being the most written-about industry on the planet, there are ingrained misconceptions about how the business works. I’ve met hundreds of people who want to break in who are knocking on the wrong doors. I can’t give people the talent to make it, but I can provide strategies that work in the real world.”

Saxon’s course is a deep dive into the movie business, and covers everything screenwriters need to know about moving ahead in Hollywood. Each lesson is a 60 to 90-minute webinar on an essential topic, from building a team to discovering the many routes to Industry success. Registration is limited and fees are $99 per session, or $599 for an eight-course package. Students will have their questions answered directly by Saxon.

“This is an unrivaled opportunity to learn from one of the Industry’s top working producers,” said Jesse Douma, President of The Writers Store. “Ed created a remarkably in-depth course that features the kind of topics screenwriters absolutely must understand before taking the dive into the movie business. Both aspiring and established screenwriters will find a wealth of information that will alter how they approach their careers.”

Academy Award-winner Edward Saxon has been producing feature films for 25 years and has produced pictures with Fox, Universal, Warner Brothers, Columbia, Paramount, and Disney. His films have grossed $700M worldwide box office and garnered 12 Academy Awards®. He won his Oscar for The Silence of the Lambs which swept Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Director, and Best Picture at the Academy Awards®, one of only three films in history to do so. He also produced Philadelphia, Adaptation, and Mandela.

The Writers Store is the largest reseller of screenwriting and filmmaking tools worldwide. Parent Company F+W Media has served as the leading resource for aspiring and professional writers since the launch of Writer’s Digest in 1920.

SOURCE F+W Media

 

Educating Children With Autism: Best Practices

 

Educating Children With Autism: Best Practices

1 out of every 110 children in the United States has Autism Spectrum Disorder or ASD, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Autism spectrum disorders occur when problems with brain development impact a person’s ability to function normally. A person diagnosed with ASD can vary from mild issues to severe problems, creating a unique challenge for educating those affected by the disorder. However, certain practices tend to work better at educating children with autism than others.
Structure
Children with autism need structure in their learning environments. An autistic child needs to know what’s going to happen next in his/her day, and this pattern needs to continue in order to keep focus and prevent behavioral issues. Provide visual tools to help promote structure, such as a visual schedule of activities for the day so that the child knows what happens next. Another important aspect of structure is follow-through. If a learning activity is announced, it’s important that what’s announced actually occurs.

Individualized Instruction
When creating a learning plan for an autistic child it’s important to understand that each child is different and has different strengths, weaknesses, and learning styles. With this in mind, it’s important to individualize each child’s learning plan. Include each child’s individual interests and preferences into learning activities to help focus and increase involvement. Also take into consideration the intensity of instruction. While some children may thrive under more intense learning activities, others may feel discouraged, so augment your methods to keep children motivated. The goals of the family should also be involved when creating a learning plan.

Positive Behavior
Autistic children have unique needs when it comes to behavior monitoring and control. Negative behavior often occurs as a way for a child to get a specific result. To help combat negative behavior it’s important to teach an autistic child positive ways to get the same results in order to reduce, or in some cases even eliminate negative behavior. It’s also important to bear in mind other factors that may cause the behavior changes, such as environmental factors. These factors can easily be altered or managed through functional behavior assessment, which involves determining what’s causing the behavior and simply removing or developing strategies to prevent whatever is causing the negative reaction.

Family Connection
Family plays an important role in the education of an autistic child, especially when setting overall learning goals. The family plays a role in two specific ways. First, the family typically knows the child better than an educator − including behavioral triggers, strengths, and weaknesses. Second, the lessons learned in the classroom need to be taught in the home as well. This allows the child the ability to not only practice new skills, but learn to use the skills in other surroundings outside the classroom.

When approaching the education of a child with an autism spectrum disorder, it’s essential to realize that each child is unique, and an individualized approach for each case will ensure the best results. Following the tips above will help guide your choices, providing a starting point for your child to learn and grow.

 

Ryan Hayes writes all about education. His recent work is on The 10 Best Online Masters in Education Degree Programs.