Are you looking to pursue a career in tech but need access to more resources to get started? To help you get going, Philly KEYSPOT offers free use of their computer labs which are located across Philadelphia.

KEYSPOT provides opportunities for access to and training in technology through public, private, and nonprofit organizations.

“It provides Philadelphia access to computers and technology which might not seem like a lot, but in a city with a 25 percent poverty rate, there is a lack of access to personal computers and access to high-speed internet,” said Farrah Parkes, Director of Digital Initiatives for the Office of Adult Education. “It’s important for folks to be able to access these services to help their kids with homework, search for jobs and do all the things that you and I take for granted (assuming you have your own personal computer).”

In fact, based on data from the 2017 American Community Survey (ACS), Philadelphia was ranked number 8 on the National Digital Inclusion Alliance’s Worst Connected Cities Of 2017 list.

How Philly KEYSPOT Got Its Start

KEYSPOT was created in 2010 through the Freedom Rings Partnership as a result of The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The purpose of ARRA was not only to create new jobs after the Great Recession, but also to provide projects dealing with topics such as education in order to help the economy.

One of the projects that was created was ARRA’s Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) which provided funding to promote digital literacy and broadband access in Philadelphia. 80 KEYSPOT sites were created through the money that was provided by BTOP. The money also went to digital literacy training and access to computers for individuals with little to no technological resources.

Years later when these funds ran out, the city of Philadelphia wanted to see the community continue to flourish, so they helped provide the funding for Philly KEYSPOT. The program now continues through the Office of Adult Education, the Free Library of Philadelphia, and Philadelphia Parks and Recreation.

Resources That KEYSPOT Provides

Most of the KEYSPOT computer labs offer training for individuals who need educational guidance with using the internet.

“A lot of folks who don’t have personal computers and didn’t have access to that education in school are not prepared for the kind of jobs where they need digital literacy skills, even basic digital literacy skills,” Parkes said. “Even if you’re applying for a job in a warehouse at Home Depot, you have to fill out the application online.”

The KEYSPOT sites also offer assistance with signing up online for internet services and with signing up online for Lifeline smartphone service. Lifeline is a government program that helps low income individuals get access to free smartphones and phone service.

There are currently 50 KEYSPOT sites located across Philly. 18 are operated by the Office of Parks and Recreation, 2 are operated by the Free Library of Philadelphia and 30 are non-profit sites.

“It’s a program that’s able to help parents, grandparents and children,” said Chelsea Reed, Communication Manager of the Office of Adult Education. “It’s really a city service for everyone.”

Find out how else you can benefit from KEYSPOT or read some of their stories on their blog.

Learn how to master your mental capabilities and techniques for learning various subjects online for free. Barbara Oakley, an engineering professor at Oakland University, wrote the book “Learning How to Learn” and created an online course that goes along with it. Those interested in participating can take the course through Coursera.org.

While there isn’t a designated age group for the course, most of the participants range from 25 to 35 years old. Oakley recently launched a kid’s version of the online class called “Learning How to Learn for Youth.”

Taking the course is free, but students have the option to pay for a completion certificate if desired.

Popularity and Reviews

Oakley said that roughly 5,000 to 6,000 people sign up for the course a week.

“Learning How to Learn” has a very high completion rate and thousands of positive reviews on class-central.com. Based on more than 6 thousand reviews, on average, the course has a 4.9-star rating.

“The popularity of the course is really a tribute to the fact that people are starving to learn more about how to learn effectively. It’s not just teachers who want this information; it’s everybody,” Oakley said. “I think it’s just a wonderful thing that we actually have the capability, because of the new online platforms, to spread this great information for free.”

The course gained so much success that it was even featured in an article in The New York Times. Article author John Schwartz refers to the “Learning How to Learn” class as “arguably the world’s most successful online course.”

More on Author Barbara Oakley

Oakley enlisted in the Army right after high school. The military designated her a Signal Corps officer, but she didn’t know much about the equipment.

Initially, Oakley wasn’t interested in math and science. She later realized that the West Point Engineers she worked with had a lot of career opportunities they could take.

That’s when Oakley decided to begin working her way up from learning high school algebra to becoming a professor of engineering at Oakland University.

She had previously volunteered for a while in Pontiac to help improve kids’ math skills.

“What I found was that the kids were great, but the system had a lot of problems,” Oakley said. “How can you reach kids like that? You certainly can’t do it, for the most part, through books.”

She said that you can, however, reach them through videos.

Aside from “Learning How to Learn,” Oakley also authored “Mindshift: Break Through Obstacles to Learning and Discover Your Hidden Potential,” “A Mind For Numbers: How to Excel at Math and Science,” “Cold-Blooded Kindness” and more. You can find more of her work here.

This year’s SXSW Interactive Festival in Austin, TX was a dynamic celebration of technology, innovation and the convergence of content and digital.

This was our 4th visit to the annual event, and each year it becomes increasingly more corporate, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that’s a negative, it’s just a slightly different vibe than in years past.

Rust Belt Brands Attend SXSW

This year’s Michigan House featured a mix of brands, startups, accelerators and investors. The vibe was energetic at Michigan House and it seemed to be gathering a growing audience, outside of just regional people that happened to be in Austin for the event.

Lumos, the world’s first smart bicycle helmet with integrated lights, and a Techstars Detroit alumni, won this year’s “SXSW Release It” pitch competition on Friday, March 8. The live competition is for startups to launch innovative products to a panel of judges who decide on the winner.

It was spectacular to see the growing presence of Michigan based organizations, along with other upper Midwest groups like the City of Chicago, that hosted a session called Chicago: A Synergy of Local and Global Investing, featuring Kurt Summers, Treasurer of the the City of Chicago.

Presidential candidate and Mayor of South Bend Indiana, Pete Buttigieg was a part of the CNN town hall at SXSW. His message of youthful perspective resonated with the international crowd, many of whom are very interested in American politics.

One of the biggest speaker draws of the entire festival was Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The crowds lined up hours in advance to hear her interview. Her talking points about work ethic and perspective on corporate control over the government were applauded by the International audience.

Experiential Marketing at SXSW

Some standouts included the Activision Experience, part of the SXSW Gaming festival, an awesome space takeover that included multiple floors of old school and video games.

The Dell Experience is always a must see and their Women Funding Women speaker session featured inspiring talks and great networking.

The Daily Show’s Presidential Twitter Library was a hilarious representation of all that is wrong with the current state of politics. Twitter of course launched at SXSW many years ago, and the Daily Show’s take on the bastardization of their platform was both a tragic showcase of the demise of the nation’s highest office and at the same time a snarky and poignant defense of the first amendment and the right to free speech.

Entertainment and Good Eats

The SXSW 2019 Fast Company Experience, #FCGrill was a delightful convergence of food, entertainment, fashion, technology and innovation. It was well done – and artfully designed to appear as if the media outlet’s content had come to life in a nicely laid out indoor/outdoor venue that featured drinks, snacks, speakers and interactive experiences.

SXSW is different every year, and if you have never attended, we recommend it. This year’s event can be summed up by saying that the crowds were well versed on how to get the most out of the annual event. There is so much to see, it’s hard to make decisions.

From the main events, the parties and the popups, it seemed as if there were not as many newbies this year.

We talked with many repeat attendees who intended to experience the best the festival has to offer, which is essentially making connections to people, content and insight that you otherwise would not have had the opportunity to experience first hand. Put your phones down and get to Austin next March!

TOLEDO, Ohio – June 5, 2019​ – Spaceshop Commerce launches first of its kind product content creation studio and syndication service devoted to eCommerce channels.

The company intends to offer its new bundled service to brands and manufacturers interested in marketing directly to consumers and/or to business-to-business channels.

Spaceshop Commerce works with brands and manufacturers to create product content for eCommerce websites and marketplace channels like Amazon and beyond.

Josh Baltzell, Spaceshop Commerce COO, says that the days of static product content for eCommerce websites and channels like Amazon are fading fast.

“Better information, dynamic product listing content and good reviews all help boost sales for consumer and business buyers alike. Performance data proves that multimedia content experiences for product listings actually boost sales,” he said.

The company’s content creation and syndication services includes product and lifestyle photography, videography, graphic design, product descriptions, content creation and influencer engagement.

The bundled service includes the creation of optimized content for eCommerce channels, distribution and syndication management and performance monitoring across a range of retail sites and marketplaces like Amazon.

The company’s creative capabilities, marketplace expertise and proprietary process all come together to support a unique offering for brand marketers.

“We are truly a one-stop-shop for eCommerce product listing content and syndication. We have created efficiencies that allow us to go from receiving products to creating unique content and syndicating that content on marketplace channels like Amazon, within a matter of days,” he said. “Our toolbox also includes analytics reporting that allows us to quickly understand what content is trending and where to focus our efforts for optimization.”

Complementary offerings include the company’s core services: eCommerce strategy, webstore design and development, digital marketing, marketplace management and analytics reporting.

The infrastructure to support these services includes the in-house creative and technical teams and a network of strategic partners that add value throughout the eCommerce ecosystem.

For more information please visit ​www.spaceshopcommerce.com/studio​ or contact us at info@spaceshopcommerce.com.

About Spaceshop Commerce

Spaceshop Commerce is a forward-thinking digital commerce agency that specializes in Strategic Consulting, Amazon, Magento, Shopify, Creative Services, Digital Marketing and Managed Services for brands and manufacturers. They are based in Toledo, Ohio and serve clients around the globe.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to work as a graphic designer in Detroit? There are loads of opportunities for work in Detroit and because the city has such an established art scene, graphic design definitely has its place in the city.

Detroit Offices Offer Spacious Spaces to Get Creative

If you’ve ever visited a workspace in Downtown Detroit, it was likely one with an open, contemporary vibe. Hudson Edit in Downtown Detroit is one of those places where you can just walk in and feel the creativity. When you first enter, you immediately see an open lounging area with a coffee maker and a record player. Then a hallway leads to single offices for employees.

Chris Naglik enjoying a cup of coffee in his Hudson Edit office.

These offices have large windows that allow the light from outside to peek in. According to a study by the Department of Design and Environmental Analysis at Cornell, employees who work in offices with more natural lighting noticed headaches, blurred vision and eyestrain decrease significantly, by 84 percent.

Hudson Edit has ten to fifteen employees who provide creative video production and post-production solutions including directorial, editorial, motion graphics and audio services for their clients. Chris Naglik, the Motion Design Director at Hudson Edit, described the company as “a collective of artists who work together, who support each other, who help each other out on projects and who are always trying to get each other work.”

Naglik said that his typical work day starts with a cup of coffee, but from there on every day is different. Whether he’s working on a current job, brainstorming or doing research and development, no work day has exactly the same set of steps.

There’s No Shortage Of Automotive Clients

One question you may have when pursuing your graphic design career in Detroit is, “what type of clients will I have?” With Detroit being heavy in automotive companies, you will have ample opportunity to snag some big clients.

Hudson Edit does a lot of work for automotive clients, but their work doesn’t end there. The company does work for all kinds of clients in the Detroit area.

Detroit is the perfect setting if you want automotive clientele, but the city also has a plethora of other businesses you could design for including restaurants, bars, financial companies, hospitals, tech startups and more.

Detroit Provides A Chance For Business Collaborations

Working in Detroit can potentially allow you the chance to collaborate with other businesses and organizations in the city in order to produce a unique effect on projects that your company otherwise wouldn’t have been able to do alone. Hudson Edit has teamed up with other businesses in Detroit and is open to other joint company efforts in the future.

Detroit company Woodward Original reached out to Hudson Edit one day to ask if they would be willing to work together on an animation for Stock X. Naglik said that the overall result from the collaboration was a success.

The positive atmosphere of Hudson Edit doesn’t end there. Naglik has a wall of hats and wigs in his office. He said that he offers clients hats to wear when they meet with him.

Naglik also said that there’s a sense of trust within his company to allow him to set up his projects as he sees fit. There’s nobody between him and the client breaking down or rearranging his original visions.

“I feel very fortunate right now that I have this autonomy where I can see an idea through to a point where it sees the client. I start brainstorming, ‘What could be cool for 30 seconds that’s feasible given the budget and given the amount of time I have to do that? What would be fun to do for me?’” Naglik said. “I feel like in Detroit, where I am at here, I’m in a position where I can do that.”

Fintech startup Neocova officially launched on October 22nd of this year. The new banking solution is based out of the Midwest in St. Louis, MO and is targeted toward community banks.

Neocova sets itself apart from other banking platforms of the same type by providing one-year, ten-page long contracts without termination fees. Competitors typically have five to seven-year, 150-page long contracts.

“I don’t want to lock someone in for five years if they are unhappy working with us like our competitors do,” said Sultan Meghji, Co-Founder and CEO of Neocova. “I want them to be very positive and excited about working with us.”

Neocova’s Product List

Neocova created a cloud-based core platform which ensures efficiency and an organization method that isn’t outdated. The company offers a new and innovative technology for client management and banking product management that community financial institutions can benefit from.

They also provide artificial intelligence tech such as anti-money laundering checks and Bank Secrecy Act checks. With Neocova’s unique technology, these will basically be automatic and immediate security measures taken against the transactions going in and out of any given banking system. Community banks that are specifically looking to solve these security issues have the option to purchase this AI product separately.

Neocova also sells the platform that they used to build these bank management and AI tech products with. The platform is targeted toward fintech startups and banks who are looking to build and develop their own product and services to bring into the industry.

The original plan was that the fintech startup Neocova would not publicly launch until next year. Because they’ve already exceeded in reaching some of their client business goals, they decided to publicly introduce their platform sooner rather than later.

“We’ve been incubating this company very quietly in sales for quite a while now, for officially four years,” Meghji said. “We had planned on just a very small number of clients in 2020 and we are way ahead of that.”

The Importance Of New Technology Platforms

Meghji developed the idea of this fintech solution after traveling to Africa about six years ago to help implement the idea of digital banking in Kenya and Uganda. After learning about banking systems around the world, he wanted to find out more about the U.S. market.

He decided to delve into more research when he came back to the U.S. In order to find out more about the U.S. banking market, he spoke to banks, tech companies, federal and state level regulators and bank investors.

Throughout these conversations, Meghji said that he noticed three consistent problems with the banking atmosphere today. The first is the technology these community banks are using dates back to the 1990’s.

“If you go to your average community bank, you’ll see green text on black tube TV screens,” Meghji said.

The second problem Meghji mentioned is that there are currently three main companies that offer technology for community banks. These companies only offer five-year or longer contracts for their clients to use their technology that has been out of date for decades.

The third problem Meghji brought up is that the products these banks offer use such old technology that they don’t necessarily add value to their clients’ communities. Meghji said that Neocova is the solution he came up with to solve these problems.

What Does Neocova Mean?

Neocova is the combination of the prefix “neo” with “covalent bond.”

“If you remember your high school chemistry, a covalent bond is when an electron is shared by two atoms,” Meghji said.

The idea is to take something that is already existent and combine it with new innovations in order to bring something new to the table.

Neocova currently has several open positions available including banking and tech roles. Although they are headquartered in St. Louis, MO, they also have offices in California and New York.

ACM SIGGRAPH’s Free Event

Detroit ACM SIGGRAPH held a free Computer Graphics Rally Car Breakdown Presentation event at Dassault Systemes – 3DEXCITE in December. 3DEXCITE offered their office in Royal Oak as a venue for the event, which they also did for last year’s meetup.

3DEXCITE provides a software solution that will turn engineering data into 3D visual marketing content. The company currently has 15 offices across the world.

Billy Chitkin was the featured guest of the night, presenting a slideshow of the computer graphics (CG) work he did for a rally car. A few other CG artists were also given the opportunity to present their work before he began his slideshow. Chitkin is a freelance motion graphics artist living in Metro Detroit who creates art primarily for the advertising market.

Chitkin was introduced to Marc Stanyk of 3DEXCITE at an event called Mograph Mondays Detroit and was later invited to show off his work at this ACM SIGGRAPH event. Stanyk works as a Senior Compositor for 3DEXCITE and is also the owner of Marc Stanyk Productions. Mograph Mondays is a monthly meetup where motion graphics artists are invited to come together to network and share their work and ideas.

Creating A Car For A Pro Rally Driver

Chitkin said that throughout his computer graphics career he didn’t typically do work as a car designer. When his good friend Ash Thorp had the opportunity to work on designing a championship rally car for professional rally driver Ken Block, Thorp reached out to Chitkin for his help with the project. Thorp had known Chitkin as an accomplished 3D modeler who had the necessary skills to assist with designing the rally car.

The car was specifically made for Ken Block’s Hoonigan brand. Chitkin said that he had been a fan of Block back when he watched the X Games on television as a teenager, so he was thrilled when he found out he’d be working on an actual rally car for him.

“It’s cool to have the story kind of come back around from before ever touching 3D software and then making something in 3D which was turned into a real tangible car,” Chitkin said. “It’s a dream I never knew I had.” 

Thorp lead design on the project while Chitkin worked on 3D modeling of the vehicle. Leo Estevez was another primary CG artist who worked on the vehicle design. Estevez had the job of texturing and UV unwrapping.

Storytelling In CG Design 

Chitkin emphasized the importance of storytelling when creating a 3D vehicle. He compared crafting the story behind the vehicle to crafting a character for Dungeons & Dragons. He said that whether it’s coming up with a backstory for your D&D character or a concept car, storytelling is a good place to start when designing almost anything.

“What’s its purpose? What does it do? Where is it from? What’s its motivation?” Chitkin said. “Those are all relevant to any forms of storytelling, I think.”

You can view more photos from the event here.

According to an article from Harvard Business Review, the number of direct-to-consumer brands has been increasing since 2018. Now, DTC brands are facing some serious competition. In the past few years not only has social media advertising taken off, but also a multitude of newer advertising tactics. Keeping up with these very specific trends may be vital to see your DTC brand flourish in 2022.

Toledo-based digital commerce agency Spaceshop Commerce recently put together a list of the top 10 direct-to-consumer e-commerce trends for 2022. This includes several strategies that you can utilize to ensure success for your DTC business. Among the trending subjects are multichannels, shop now pay later apps, shopping via social media, livestream shopping and more. 

For a more detailed account of the Top 10 trends, check out the Spaceshop Commerce article.

Understanding Direct-To-Consumer Business

A direct-to-consumer business sells the products that they make directly to the people who will purchase and use them or in other words, the end customers. There are no third-party retailers guiding the in-between process. 

A DTC brand doesn’t have to have its own physical in-person store. It might have its own online store, an app or a number you can dial to order over the phone. 

These product creators tend to test out products on a smaller scale and collect customer data in order to optimize their experience. This process has the potential to make customers feel closer to a brand. With customers buying directly from the maker of the products, it is anticipated that the buyer will feel that they are forming a strong connection with them.

Creating Your DTC Content

Because DTC is in-demand in 2022, coming up with a DTC content plan will be crucial to the success of your business this year. Spaceshop Commerce can assist with your DTC strategy needs.  

Spaceshop Commerce is focused on boosting sales for their clients across digital channels. Send them a message online or call (888) 651-1554 to speak with one of their digital commerce experts.

The post Top 10 2022 Direct-To-Consumer Trends Named By Digital Agency Spaceshop Commerce first appeared on Silicon Rust Belt.

Let’s Detroit held it’s Women Leading in Tech event Thursday at Bea’s Detroit in celebration of Women’s History Month. Attendees networked with professionals and listened to a panel discussion from women in high-tech automotive and mobility, plus fintech. This was the first year Let’s Detroit held the event which was meant to showcase all the women who are leading in the technology industry and to inspire women who are looking to work in tech.

“Let’s Detroit’s Women Leading in Tech networking reception and panel was our first-in person event since COVID-19 and you could feel the energy in the room,” said Jennifer Orletski-Dehne, Engagement Manager for Let’s Detroit. “Everyone was excited to be back together and eager to learn from the amazing panel of women who represented various tech careers crossing different sectors including auto and mobility, fintech, and the startup community.” 

The evening began with networking among visitors plus food and drinks provided by Two Unique Catering and Bea’s Detroit. Soon after, the panel took place. Orletski-Dehne led the discussion by asking the panelists key questions about their careers and experience with working in the tech industry. The panelists each expounded upon the importance of their job positions from leading developments in auto and drone technology to financial wellness. 

The panelists who spoke at the event were Software Engineer for Robert Bosch LLC Danielle Alexander, Vice President of Marketing for Airspace Link Casie Ocaña, Electric Drive Controls Engineer for General Motors Kerrie Spaven, and Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Pocketnest Jessica Willis. 

Alexander explained that she has been working on a program at Bosch with the goal of keeping drivers safe. Her current focus is on an Automatic Emergency Braking function for Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems. This function is being developed to diminish the likelihood of certain types of vehicle collisions in the future.

Alexander said that there are tons of resource groups at Bosch where people of similar backgrounds—such as women—can get together to share their experiences and advice. She said that Bosch is a workplace that welcomes diversity and ensures that everyone is treated equally and respectfully.

“It’s really an inclusive group of people. We’re all like a family in the way we work together,” Alexander said. “When we have incidents, it’s more of a one-off type of thing. Management is not going to let that culture continue.”

Spaven said that GM has similar groups, as well. She encouraged the audience to not let the possibility of being the only woman in their workplace deter them from seeking out a position in the tech field. 

“I haven’t really had to think too much about being the only female in a mostly male dominant area. They’ve all treated me with respect,” Spaven said. “Focus on the accomplishments that you want to make and don’t let the fact that you may be one in a million keep you from doing what you want.”

Event Inspires Women Working in Detroit

Bandhan Kaur attended Women Leading in Tech to meet other fellow women engineers and to celebrate Women’s History Month. She is a Software Engineer for Detroit startup Excelerate America and is part of Venture for America, a two-year Fellowship that gives recent college grads the chance to experience working in a startup. 

“After listening to the panelists speak and talking with them, I got a broader understanding of how women in tech are expanding as not just engineers and CEOs but also as the ones actually selling the technology,” Kaur said. “The panel has inspired me to move forward into innovative technology.”

Drishti Bansal was another Women Leading in Tech attendee. As an international student during the pandemic, it was difficult for her to find employment. 

“I got contractor work and an internship through my perseverance and determination after three years,” Bansal said. “Those are important as there are really less women in tech. There are a lot, but they aren’t as noticeable as they should be.”

Let’s Detroit Continues to Connect Detroit Professionals

Let’s Detroit is a talent attention and retention platform with the goal of retaining top talent in the region by connecting them with job opportunities and attracting top talent by showcasing unique opportunities outside of work to either make an impact or explore the region. Orletski-Dehne said that because of the pandemic, Let’s Detroit has been unable to hold in-person events for a couple years, and that she was pleased with how this first event in a while turned out.

“The audience was able to gain insight from the panelists about their career experience and journey into tech positions and how their companies are empowering women,” she said.

After kicking off the year with Women Leading in Tech, Let’s Detroit hopes to hold approximately one in-person event per month. Learn more and get engaged with Let’s Detroit at letsdetroit.com.

The post Women Leading in Tech Event in Detroit Honors Women’s History Month first appeared on Silicon Rust Belt.

Women in 3D Printing Detroit Chapter recently held an open house at CATI in Pleasant Ridge, MI. The networking event was open to 3D printing enthusiasts in Metro Detroit. 

Although Women in 3D Printing was originally created to promote and bring together women in the industry, their inclusive events welcome people of all backgrounds. They made the Detroit Chapter a few years ago because a lot of the big 3D companies such as SLM Solutions and EOS have locations in Metro Detroit.

“It is very eye-opening when you walk into a trade show or event and you don’t see that many women,” said Abbey Delaney, Ambassador for Women in 3D Printing Detroit Chapter and Director of Field Marketing for BigRep. “We really wanted to make women aware of other women in the industry so that we can collaborate and support each other.”

The event brought in a lot of local individuals working in the 3D industry such as Kristal Kilgore of Ann Arbor, MI, Global Content Marketing Manager for ExOne, a Desktop Metal company. They manufacture large-format binder jet 3D printers focused mainly on printing sand and ceramic materials. 

“The first time I saw a sand 3D printer—which I now sell—was at a Women in 3D printing event,” Kilgore said. “With 3D printing being sort of a new industry, there are a lot more opportunities for women.”

Sheryl Quan was another attendee and she was representing Ford Advanced Manufacturing Center in Redford, MI.

“We really just wanted to meet other local women in our field,” Quan said. “I think everybody, whether male or female, brings something different to the job.”

Amy Clark, Order Management Associate for CATI, explained that CATI had the event at their office as a way to network. Clark said that as an industry professional, she sets an example for her daughter by showing her that women are strong and can accomplish whatever they set their mind to.

“In any industry women feel lagged in their jobs,” Clark said. “We’re fighting for equality and we can do anything a guy can do.” 

CATI Makes 3D Printed Items for Medical Use

Computer Aided Technology (CATI) is mainly known as a product development solution provider specializing in 3D printing, but their offerings go way beyond those of just 3D printers, 3D scanners and design software. Along with rows of 3D printers, CATI also had many 3D printed parts on display in their office. CATI offers the option—to those without a 3D printer—of access to their team and equipment to 3D print items using the customer’s designs. One such useful product they made was a prosthetic hand.

In 2016, a teacher in Indiana reached out to CATI to ask for assistance with getting a prosthetic made for a six-year-old. Her school had previously 3D printed her prosthetic, but was unable to continue producing suitable components. CATI custom-made her a prosthetic hand in pink, her favorite color.

The team at CATI has also 3D printed recreational items such as figures of players on a Foosball table that sits in their office. Esteban Gaytan, Director of IT and Compliance for CATI, said that his favorite creation that he 3D printed was a Dungeons & Dragons miniature. Gaytan said that he tried to make the monster as close to the original version as possible. 

“My favorite thing to print is a beholder. For those who know, this is a terrifying experience in D&D,” Gaytan said. “Now, roll for initiative.”

3D Printing Events in Detroit

You can find Women in 3D Printing and industry experts at the next RAPID + TCT conference in Detroit this May. SME and Rapid News Publications have led the way with 3D technology events and came together in 2016 to create the annual RAPID + TCT conference, the largest 3D printing event in North America.

Get a feel for the industry with hands-on exhibits and new product announcements. Network with 3D printing professionals and learn from the experts by watching Keynote Presentations and Thought Leadership Panels. Those unable to attend can register for a Digital Pass.

The post Industry Locals Network at Women in 3D Printing Event in Metro Detroit first appeared on Silicon Rust Belt.