Now you can 3-D Print Objects made of Wood Fibers.,

Now you can 3-D Print Objects made of Wood Fibers.

Cellulose offers sustainable Alternative to Metal and Plastic.

A tiny 3D printed chair made of cellulose.

From prosthetic hands to an entire bridge, you can pretty much 3D print anything you can imagine. But the materials to make them are diversifying a bit more slowly. Now researchers from Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden have found a way to 3D print objects from cellulose, a naturally occurring string of molecules derived from wood. The resulting objects are an environmentally friendly and sustainable alternative to the metals and plastics that currently dominate 3D printing. The researchers presented their work this week at a conference titled “New Materials From Trees.”

We’re used to seeing objects and constructions made of wood, but it hasn’t been easy to put it in a form that can be 3D printed. Unlike the metal or plastic commonly used in 3D printing, cellulose doesn’t melt when heated, which means it’s much harder to mold into different objects. To work around this, the researchers mixed tiny fibers of cellulose in a liquid gel made of water. The researchers tested their mixture on a 3D bio-printer, which had been used previously to make scaffolds where cells grew before being implanted in a patient.

Once the object has been printed from the gel, it has to dry, which is critical for maintaining its final shape. The researchers figured out a way to freeze the object, then slowly remove some of the water so that the final product is in the desired shape.

The researchers were also able to insert carbon nano-tubes into the dry object so that it could conduct electricity. When they tested one conductive gel with the nano-tubes and one without, they were able to create a 3D electrical circuit.

Found in the cell walls of plants and algae or secreted by bacteria, cellulose is a very abundant polymer. 3D printed objects made of cellulose would biodegradable and could even capture carbon dioxide that would otherwise pollute the atmosphere.

Paul Gatenholm, a professor of bio-polymer technology at Chalmers and one of the study authors, envisions a huge range of applications for products printed with cellulose. "Potential applications range from sensors integrated with packaging, to textiles that convert body heat to electricity, and wound dressings that can communicate with healthcare workers," he says. In the future his team plans to experiment with other organic compounds derived from wood.

Can Windows 10 give Microsoft a second life?

Can Windows 10 give Microsoft a second life

The tech company looks to redeem itself from the failure of its last operating system Windows 8.

In the last week of July, Microsoft will launch Windows 10. Since 1995, when Windows won over geeks and took over the world of computers, every launch of this operating system (OS) has been a big deal. Windows still powers over 80 per cent of world's computers. But there is one more reason why the release of the new Windows is a significant moment for computers users and Microsoft. It is an operating system that is supposed to fix the wrongs that Microsoft committed with Windows 8 in 2012.

Windows 8 was a disaster. With Apple's iPad stealing the show, Microsoft tried to counter it by Windows 8, an operating system that was supposed to be as easy to run on a tablet as it was on desktop. But the result was dis-appointing. Microsoft tried to do too many things with Windows 8 and lost focus. In the end, Windows 8 turned out to be too complex to be used on tablets and too sloppy and haphazard to really benefit laptop and desktop users. Its user interface was so confusing that enterprise users aka companies that use Windows in their offices opted for Windows 7 over it. Individual users too decided to skip it and even those who somehow ended up with the Windows 8, mostly hated it, finding it cumbersome to use.

Microsoft tried to fix Windows 8 with the Windows 8.1 in 2013 but the damage was done.

With Windows 10, Microsoft is going to undo this damage and so far it seems that the company is on the right track.

With Windows 10, Microsoft is focussing its energy on the core users of the operating system. These core users are people who run Windows on their laptops or desktops and not on tablets. So the whole user interface has been simplified and is now much more closer to the excellent Windows 7. The tile-based interface that Microsoft introduced in Windows 8 is gone. The start menu, which was removed in Windows 8, is back. Similarly, the whole interface has been retooled so that it is easier to use Windows 10 with a keyboard and mouse. This is unlike the approach Microsoft took with the Windows 8 where the focus was on touchscreens.

Windows 10 feels like a logical evolution of Windows 7, which arguably is the best operating system Microsoft has made so far. It marks a clean break from the Windows 8. But that doesn't mean it lacks new features.

While in terms of user interface and focus, Microsoft is returning to the basics - and these are good basics - it is adding some cool features that would make the new Windows appear modern. The user interface is pleasingly flat, showing that Windows 10 is an operating system that belongs to 2015. It also has features like Cortana, the virtual assistant that would help users interact with the computer with voice commands. While it won't be anything like what we saw in the Hollywood film Her, the idea is similar. The new OS also comes with unique features like desktop spaces - sort of virtual compartments that will help users keep their personal and professional lives separate - and universal search.

While we will know the full capabilities and limitations of Windows 10 once it is out, it is clear the new operating system is shaping up to be a classic similar to Windows 7. If it is everything that Microsoft has promised, it may even help the company save the Windows brand, something that took a hit after the Windows 8.