The Innovation Hubs

3D printing is a very popular technology to show in TV and film right now, but until recently it hasn't been accessible to a lot of people.

Thanks to the Digital Innovation Hubs at the Toronto Reference Library (TRL) and the Fort York Branch, many people now have access to 3D printing who might otherwise not have a chance to use it.

I was fortunate to be TRL's first Innovator in Residence earlier this year, teaching a variety of programs related to 3D design and 3D printing. Now with the Innovator in Communities program, I get to share those same skills in non-library community spaces.

So far we've covered several 3D design tools, such as 123D Design, Meshmixer, and TinkerCAD. All three are free to use on Mac or Windows, and have user interfaces designed with beginners in mind.

It's very important to me that as many people as possible get to experience the feeling of creating in 3D. I've said this many times before, but there's something magical and empowering about going from an idea in your head to a physical object in your hand.

When you put 3D printing into libraries and community centres, you nearly eliminate the costs associated with making things. Add free workshops to the mix, and you have a perfect, safe environment for people to learn and experiment in.

Who knows what amazing things will happen when these skills and tools are utterly normal for everyone to have? Let's do everything we can'to find out.