Tag Archives: 3D printing

Happy New Year

This past week at work I used/taught/struggled with/enjoyed/swore at/loved the 3D printers we had on loan. I love this kind of tech stuff, but felt a bit pressured by our patrons (especially the kids!) when it just. didn’t. work. right! And since we’re dealing with donated technology that’s a bit old (yes, in tech a 2-year-old product is old!), it’s not glitch-free.
I like having something (well, more things!) at work thatI’m the go-to person for. It’s satisfying.

And my test projects, of course, somehow managed to include dogs… some more successful than others!  

  

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I can’t formulate any resolutions that are coherent enough and practical enough to warrant a resolution. I think I’m on the right path for most things, and working through/thinking about my approach to a few things. I hope I will be clearer about what I am uncertain about in the next year (what a mouthful!) 

  

I swear… he’s happy even if he looks stoic. (don’t worry, the hat only stayed on for the photo!)

Visible Differences and the #ToyLikeMe Movement

  

A few years ago, I was part of a group in charge of choosing teddy bears to sell at the Moebius Syndrome Conferences. We found that it was actually really, really difficult to find a non-smiling teddy bear! Finally we found a neutral-mouthed teddy bear that we chose. 

Makies, a British company, is among a group of advocates and manufacturers embracing the #toylikeme movement – offering customizable 3D printed dolls for sale. I’m actually not really a fan of the heads they use (those eyes are kind of creepy!) but I love the concept.

I probably would have loved more dolls with differences like mine growing up – I was always playing hospital with my Playmobils and loved it when my American Girl dolls came back from the “hospital” (aka with a new head after the hair was beyond repair!) wearing hospital gowns! I don’t think I was necessarily harmed by not having toys that looked like me, but would have loved to have this available to me. 

I like that companies are embracing both diversity and customization at the same time – with the advent of technology like 3D printers I really see things like dolls with more involved facial differences being available very soon.

I hope next time I’m seeking a non-smiling teddy bear the toy landscape will be kinder to children with visible differences.