Jane Harvard

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3D Printing Straighter Smiles
Jane Harvard
Posted on November 13, 2018 at 7:54 pm
"Align Technology disrupted the orthodontic industry by creating a digital approach to straightening teeth that makes treatment possible for more people than ever. None of what we have been able to achieve would be possible without 3D printing technology" - [...]

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On November 14, 2018, Jane Harvard commented on Does a 3-D Printing Startup Have a Solution to the Affordable Housing Epidemic? :

Incredible potential for 3D printing application. Great article!

Contrary to what the previous post says, I do think job displacement should be considered. Construction workers tend to be very specialized in a particular trade (drywall, plumbing, electric) which makes their skills hard to transfer. Maybe a potential solution would be to gradually train those workers to perform the intelectual tasks the article mentions are needed to operate the printing structure and supervise the project.

On November 14, 2018, Jane Harvard commented on Will you marry me (if I ask with a 3D-printed ring)? :

Very interesting article. I agree with your and previous post opinions that the greatest potential seems to be in the middle market. I also think this particularly applies to engagement rings because of the desire to make it unique and personalized. 3D printing makes production faster, but it could still take several hours (or days or months) to do the computer design to be printed. This would translate to a higher price, which I think people would be more willing to pay for an engagement ring than every-day use jewelry. I think companies would have to find a balance between offering the customization that comes with 3D printing while limiting design time to make each sell profitable.

On November 14, 2018, Jane Harvard commented on Open Innovation Startup Quirky Couldn’t Crowdsource Its Way to Success. :

Very interesting article. With all the hype around some of these megatrends, it is eye-opening to see that they can also fail. IT is a learning opportunity that even with great potential, if it is not well executed it will not be successful.

I agree with the previous post that a likely reason for failure was insufficient market research. When crowdsourcing innovation, you gain access to a larger idea pool, but those ideas are still coming from a small sample of the population that may not be representative of the entire market.

On November 14, 2018, Jane Harvard commented on Verizon: Battling crime through Machine Learning :

Very interesting article. It’s inspiring to see how large companies are leveraging technology not only for profit but also to better society. As I read the article, I kept thinking about data bias in relation to the question you posed at the end. Until machine learning improves to the point where biases can be self-addressed within the system, it should not be used as a stand-alone solution but rather as a supplement to human operators.

On November 14, 2018, Jane Harvard commented on Betabrand: Wearing Product Development on its Sleeve :

A popular trend nowadays for improving customer loyalty is gamification. Through points systems, levels and a little competition, other companies are motivating their user base to remain on the platform. This could be an interesting approach for a company like Betabrand that depends on user feedback. This, however, could come at the cost of diversity of opinion. By creating certain environment, users with similar preferences will be attracted to the company, creating a specific “style” of clothing that may not be what the company is trying to achieve. On the other side, it could help define a customer segment and create an identity that doesn’t appeal to everyone, but that it is very attractive for those that it does.

On November 14, 2018, Jane Harvard commented on As Soon As You Publish A Map It’s Outdated: How Google Maps Uses Imagery And Machine Learning To Keep Their Maps Relevant :

Impressive accuracy and performance for real-time results. It seems like they are investing heavily in increasing processing speed, but Street View collection still requires a car/bicycle/backpack with a camera taking pictures. In addition to removing the human element in verifying model outputs, could the company automate their street view data collection as well? Will they have to wait for AVs to be on every street for it? Nice read!