Hello and welcome to my first blog of the REU! I’m not counting my other one. Fresh start?
I can’t decide how I feel about the blogging requirement yet. In high school we had a couple of blog assignments which I liked, but they were a lot more structured and I really knew what I would be writing about each time. Here, I feel a little lost.
Today is day 3 of the REU and day 2 of being in VRAC. Yesterday was a really intense day–so much walking around in the heat! There were so many pictures being taken and I looked so sweaty and I wasn’t super into that, honestly. When I got back to my room after the day was done I just stared at the wall while I ate my food. I had zero energy left.
Today’s been a lot better for me. We started later (yay!) and then learned about our projects and met our profs and grad student mentors. I’m actually really excited about my project. I was concerned when I read the paper we were given beforehand because there are a ton of physics/engineering concepts in there and I know very little about either of those.
So I’m sure you’re curious: what’s the project?
In short (because I literally don’t know in long), we’re working with 3D scanners and their biometric applications, specifically fingerprints. We know that scanning can be done at a very fine scale, but we don’t yet know the accuracy of the scanners. In order to test this, we’re going to work out how to scan a finger, create a 3D model, and then print out a finger in skin-like material and see if we can get it to unlock a phone. So that’s sick.
This winter, I was able to visit the Mayo Clinic 3-D printing lab, where they print surgical cutting guides. I had approximately zero interest in anything to do with additive manufacturing before that, but my horizons have been widened now. I wouldn’t say the project is right up my alley, but it’s like another connected alley with a really cute cat in it that I couldn’t help but stop and pet. Maybe this is a sign that I should not spend my time in alleys. Moving on.
I like all my blogs to have a theme or a thing that I do every time, but I’m not sure what that will be for this one. Something I’m going to include right now is the song I’m listening to:
Fantastic song. Makes me want to run around in a field, which is convenient because, like, Iowa.
Anyway, I’ve written too much and now you’re bored. See you next time!
Great post!
as a native Iowan, I can confirm we have some great fields to run in.