The Ambiguous Cylinder Illusion | STEM Activity

Is it a circle? Is it a square? Or is it both? Make your own 3D printed "ambiguous cylinder" illusion in this fun activity. Read more

In this lesson your students will design their own 3D objects that exhibit "anomalous mirror symmetry"—that is, their reflections appear flipped left to right when you put them in front of a mirror. Students will start by defining the outline of a 2D shape using functions. They will then use MATLAB or Python code to convert the 2D shape into a 3D curve that replicates the outline of the 2D shape when viewed from a certain angle. Finally, they will convert the 3D curve into a solid 3D… Read more

3D printing, also called additive manufacturing, is a rapidly changing technology that allows for the quick creation of small batches of products. Traditional manufacturing usually involves cutting products out of raw materials or pouring raw materials into molds. In contrast, 3D printing creates a product by adding layer after layer of material using computer-controlled robotics. 3D printing processes are being used to create a growing number of products, from food to custom prosthetics. With… Read more