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The Pirate Bay has been a thorn in the side of big media companies for years, and though there's no end in sight for their battles over piracy, the controversial site is already looking at the next frontier of copying and sharing. In a recent blog post, TPB introduced a new category called "Physibles", which they believe is a first step in a future were anyone will be able to share digital data objects that can be turned into physical goods.
In simpler terms, Physibles are files meant for 3D printers and Pirate Bay has created a new section for them. Of course, the technology is still quite expensive and thus not widespread yet, but the site believes it'll be commonplace eventually. Right now, a 3D printer such as MakerBot's recently launched Replicator comes in at around $1,750, which is not unattainable but it's is limited in what it can create and the materials it can work with. Higher end models used for rapid prototyping can cost from $20,000 and way up.
MakerBot Replicator
Despite the current limitations it's a rather interesting concept and the file-sharing site contends it could change the world in a matter of years: "The benefit to society is huge. No more shipping huge amount of products around the world. No more shipping the broken products back. No more child labour."
The Pirate Bay says in 20 years or so you will be able to print spare parts for your vehicle and download a pair of sneakers. It definitely sounds like a pipe dream but looking at the pace technology advances maybe it isn't too far outside the realm of possibility. In any case for now you'll have to make do with the seven physible models on The Pirate Bay, including a mock-up file for a pirate ship and a tabletop wargaming robot model.
User Comments: 39
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hello ...
really like the concept, maybe coupled with malleable material, nano technology, it won't even be a printer, then I won't see the reason to go download it, for this too will be obsolete.
it will look like a hologram that goes real with new raw materials that can be made into anything.
maybe then we'll miss the old concepts, the idea of hand-made collectibles, sure hope such raw material used would be totally recyclable.
with what we can do, i believe that there are no more sci=fi but visionary concepts, as long as we know how to let it balance properly.
hey, some would even print their own gf / bf :P ... that would be the dark side of the force, as long as piracy is removed & people do not download/scan-3D print a copy of your wonderfully designed soul-mate
like TomSea, won't be here to see that unless if it is in 20 years (this too not sure!) ... but do I care to see that, it's another story...
cheers!
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RH00D said:
I'd have to side with TomSEA here. 20 years is an extremely ambitious prediction. It might be able to be accomplished technologically in 20 years, but if you're talking about the average Joe being able to do it in his home then 20 years just seems way too soon.
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ha ha sure.
it took ages to catch 'ol bin laden.
you won't be printing / downloading or whatever a block of lard in fifty years. tech is stuck and we haven't done anything big since landing on the moon.
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Guest said:
ha ha sure.
it took ages to catch 'ol bin laden.
you won't be printing / downloading or whatever a block of lard in fifty years. tech is stuck and we haven't done anything big since landing on the moon.
Not sure what the hell this has to do with 3D printing but ok.
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RH00D said:
I'd have to side with TomSEA here. 20 years is an extremely ambitious prediction. It might be able to be accomplished technologically in 20 years, but if you're talking about the average Joe being able to do it in his home then 20 years just seems way too soon.
20 years ago if someone told you that you will be able to regrow some body organs, or have a super tiny yet powerful phone or simply able to (insert technological advancement here) no one would believe you, or at least only few.
20 years I am sure 3D printing will be way more advanced, not printing plastic items as it is now and way more advanced stuff, but the affordability of it is a whole another story.
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DanUK said:
NTAPRO said:Didn't know 3D printers existed...
Where have I been lol
+1 ... wtf this is crazzzzyyyy. I mean sure it's not producing anything "amazing" yet but it's an impressive start. Can't wait to see more.
Love the star trek reference in the name too hah.
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Not if ACTA or similar shit passes, derp.
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So.. I will be able to pirate a bugatti veyron?
Im in.
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ravy said:
Not if ACTA or similar shit passes, derp.
I guess you wont be able to freely download items but rather pay for them. Other then that, its not like ACTA is going to slowdown the process of development for 3D Printers :X
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The first 3D printers that can print multiple materials are already here but are very expensive. Work is being do to be able to print simple circuits and wires in the objects. That is cutting edge today so printing a pair of shoes is a reachable goal. Right now shoes are mostly some combo of rubber, plastic and cloth. Personally I see the cloth component as being the hardest to "print" but someone will come up with a way to do it or another material that can serve the same function.
In 1992 the 486DX2 chip was released along with windows 3.1 , a high powered sports car the camero had a max of 245 HP with a top speed of around 120 MPH. If you look at the top new 2013 camero and mustang that are looking at 650 HP and a top speed of 200 MPH. Hell sedans today can post better 0-60 times then some 92 era sports cars can. So the tech will continue to get better and we will see this day come.
I wonder what the effect to the mass producers will be when we can print 50-70% of products at home. There will always be things that for cost/complexity reasons you can't make but when all you need is raw material and some power and can make anything what does that do to values?
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Can I download a gun?
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tehbanz said:
Guest said:The first 3D printers that can print multiple materials are already here but are very expensive. Work is being do to be able to print simple circuits and wires in the objects. That is cutting edge today so printing a pair of shoes is a reachable goal. Right now shoes are mostly some combo of rubber, plastic and cloth. Personally I see the cloth component as being the hardest to "print" but someone will come up with a way to do it or another material that can serve the same function.
In 1992 the 486DX2 chip was released along with windows 3.1 , a high powered sports car the camero had a max of 245 HP with a top speed of around 120 MPH. If you look at the top new 2013 camero and mustang that are looking at 650 HP and a top speed of 200 MPH. Hell sedans today can post better 0-60 times then some 92 era sports cars can. So the tech will continue to get better and we will see this day come.
I wonder what the effect to the mass producers will be when we can print 50-70% of products at home. There will always be things that for cost/complexity reasons you can't make but when all you need is raw material and some power and can make anything what does that do to values?
Im thinking something like this, your printer prints the rubber parts, then a prompt comes up on your screen "Please insert cloth inlets" you insert clothe inlets and press "OK" and it continues to print around the cloth. Hmmm no one said humans couldn't be involved.
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Sorry to all those who say ya can't make a shoe on a 3d printer now.
You could make several types of shoes right now with a 3d printer, you can buy plastic sandals so making one on a 3d printer should be pretty easy, in Japan they are selling a one piece rubbery plastic shoe its kina ugly but well it shouldn't be a problem to run a similar plastic on a 3d printer, they have made wooden shoes for century's and they could be replicated in plastic on a 3d printer.
Now I know that's not really what most of you are talking of for a 3d printed shoe but keep an open mind and you'll be a lot happier.
Also there are 3d printers right now that print in metals(these have to be heated to fuse the materials after printing.). So printing car parts may not be that far away either.
There is a 3d printer tech that uses a type of nylon, so just about any synthetic clothing is at least possible.
There is a 3d printer that prints plastic clothing, there is a place in CA selling 3d printed bikini's.
There are people who have made home brew 3d printers.
3d printing is a new tech and has a lot of bugs that need to be worked out but having a 3d printer in ones home that produces all sorts of things in the close future is not out of the question.
And 3d printing is on the pricey side right now.
One of the reasons things take so long to get to the home is greedy rich people want you to buy a bunch of intermediate junk.
Take the CDROM, DVD, Blu-Ray, in the 80's IBM made in a lab a 1 terabyte laser storage cube similar idea to the CD, etc. . It was a 1" plastic cube. It used liquid crystal shutters to scan the cube. So it had no moving parts to break or scratch the cube. We still haven't seen that gadget. why? Because someone wanted to sell us a bunch of junk in between.
There were 3ghz gallium arsenide integrated circuit lab prototypes in the 80's, could of had a 3ghz pc in the late 80's early 90's but again someone wanted to sell you a bunch of junk in between.
History is full of these kinds of crimes keeping progress slow and in some cases almost nonexistent.
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the whole point of these machines is that you will only a few different raw material for most things, therefor if you want a new pair of shoes, you just melt your old ones down and use the material for a new pair.
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