Technology

3D printing helps the fight against COVID-19.

Over recent years we have seen 3D printing becoming more accessible than ever and now this technology which seemed reserved for hi-tech conglomerates and spy movies is proving its worth in the fight against the Coronavirus.

With the COVID-19 outbreak snowballing its way across the globe, medical supplies such as face masks, respirators and ventilators have become scarce and this shortage has prompted action by the 3D printing community and aficionados. From specialised masks to various breathing apparatus, 3D printing is helping people to think ‘out of the box’ and share their designs for free in the hope that it will help lower the infection rate.

Brian Andrew Managing Director for RS Components in Sub Sahara Africa said that there has been a significant increase in interest in 3D printers over recent years. “When commercial 3D printing first made its way on the scene, it was expensive and only a few individuals saw the potential of owning a 3D printer. With advances in the design of these devices, 3D printers have become far more affordable, making this technology highly accessible. The 3D printing phenomena has infiltrated almost every industry, assisting in conceptualising, prototyping as well as small batch production of parts and components,” he said.

Also Read: Opinion: The Way Forward: How Africa Can Make a Comeback from the Oil & Gas Downturn

He also added that in the medical industry specifically, 3D printing is continuously being used to better the lives of patients as well as revolutionise surgeries for doctors globally. “If we look at the innovation that 3D printing has brought into the medical industry, we just have to look at last year’s pioneering surgical procedure using 3D-printed middle ear bones, developed by Professor Mashudu Tshifularo and his team at the University of Pretoria (UP) in South Africa which made headlines globally. The 3D printing community which is growing has proved that this technology is here to stay and that anyone with an idea can literally see their idea come to life,” he said.

As the Coronavirus outbreak spreads across the globe, we see countries implementing strict travel restrictions, work from home policies and social distancing measures. Even more developed countries are seeing their healthcare systems overloaded and fatigued by COVID-19. In more severe cases, infected patients may require specialist ventilators to take over the role of the lungs. These ventilators are in short supply along with masks and other preventative and safety gear. This shortage of essential equipment has united design engineers and makers in the 3D printing community who have already responded to the global crisis by volunteering their respective skills to ease the pressure on manufacturers, healthcare providers and governments.

Free 3D printing resources:

Hands-free Door Opener: bit.ly/HandsFreeDoorOpener
Protective Face Shield: https://bit.ly/359qCpA
Makers Mask: https://bit.ly/2VYbrLu
Valve for Ventilators: https://bit.ly/2Yjwjj4

admin2020April 29, 2020, 6:54 amMay 7, 2020 0 2133

Opinion, Technology

Why Most Online Businesses Fail ~ By: Tony Ogunlowo

Even though e-entrepreneurship is the new gold rush of the 21^st century 90% of start-ups fail within their first year.
Why?
Lots of people try to make money online because in comparison to traditional businesses it’s relatively easy to set-up and it’s not capital intensive. The belief is you can make a lot of money in a short period of time.

This is where people get it wrong – they want to make a lot of money in the shortest time possible. Think this way and you’ll crash within months! All the top internet giants of today – Facebook, Google – didn’t make any money in their first few years of operation. It takes time for you to build up your brand and make it profitable. This cannot be done overnight and there’s a lot of things to learn, learn again and keeping on learning.

You need to have a passion for what you’re doing and be prepared to work very long hours, sometimes probably 24/7, for months on end, perhaps even years without the prospect of a pay check at the end of the day.
Do it because you love what you’re doing and you’re prepared to commit your everything to it before you break even. If you can’t do this stick with the 9 – 5 job!

Another thing that makes a lot of online businesses fail is what I call the ‘Copycat Syndrome’. The mere fact somebody is making it big as a blogger, vlogger, apps developer or affiliate marketer doesn’t automatically mean you can duplicate their success; a lot of undocumented hard work would have got them to where they are now – this is the ‘secret’ they don’t share with you!

Stick to what you know best and what you’re good at and don’t copy others. All those who tried to copy twitter, Facebook and even Linda Ikeji have all disappeared over the years. Be original.
Watch the pennies: start small and grow gradually. I had a friend who wanted to set up an online media portal. Even before he had his website up and running he had hired 6 staff and rented a big office. With only a little money trickling in from sponsorships and advertising he soon found himself in the red and debt and had to close down. Only hire people and premises when you need to. Most of the time all you need is a laptop with internet connection. Keep it simple and small in the beginning.

Time: most people become entrepreneurs because they believe they will have more time for themselves – wrong! Until you’re making mega-bucks being an entrepreneur is a 24/7 affair – no time off, no holidays, no social life…nothing! You’ll literally be working all hours. So if you want more time off you better stick with your current job where you’ll only work 9 – 5, have the weekends off and 2 weeks holiday per annum!
You also need to watch out for the competition: whatever you are doing there is bound to be somebody else doing the same thing somewhere else in the world which means you have to be innovative and on top of your game; look at the competition Uber is facing around the world from other copycats? If you let the competition get the better of you, you’ll sink like a stone in water. Look how Google destroyed AOL,Yahoo and Hotmail and relegated them to the back of the queue.

So to re-cap if you want to be a successful e-entrepreneur you can’t be motivated solely by the money you can make, be unique and don’t copy others(-blindly!), watch your budget – and your competitors and be prepared to work extremely hard.
Goodluck!

admin2020October 26, 2018, 1:23 pmMarch 31, 2020 0 978

Lifestyle, Technology

Cool and Interesting Stuff That We Found on Facebook

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Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known

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Dare to dream big

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I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.

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Running towards the sunrise. Photo by Nadine A. Gardner

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Perfect opportunity

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To find a peace of mind listen to your heart.

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Once in a lifetime

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admin2020October 8, 2015, 6:13 amOctober 8, 2015 0 469

Health, Technology

Personal Health Monitor Right on Your Wrist

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Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known

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