Shockingly creative

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There are shocking new developments in neurological creative stimulation. Dr. Sharon Thompson-Schill, director of the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Pennsylvania, has concluded that sending very low doses of electric current into our brain’s prefrontal cortex can actually increase our creativity.  As an example, Dr Thompson-Schill shows people tennis balls and asks their first thought. Those participants not hooked up to electrodes typically answer, playing tennis, but those hooked up to electrodes might be more creative, proposing to cut the tennis balls in half and put them on the ends of chairs to make the chairs slide easier. The boost in creativity lasted the length of time someone was hooked up to the electrodes, and did not last more than an hour after.

What sparked our fire: Physical stimulation used to fire creative neurons.

Does this discovery shock you?

Enjoy!

-Canopy Team

3D exoskeleton

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Designer Jake Evill has developed a 3D-printed cast for people with fractured and broken bones that is longer lasting than traditional plaster casts. The design, dubbed the Cortex Exoskeleton, provides more structured support as well as a higher resistance to wear and tear than traditional casts. In addition to a lighter and stronger body, the cast is  waterproof. The process of creating the cast has also been simplified. An X-ray of the break is now combined with a 3D scan of the limb, then a custom sleeve is printed.

What sparks our fire: We remember the tried and true cast waterproofing technique. Showering with a garbage bag.

What medical advancements will 3D printing contribute to next?

Enjoy!

-Canopy Team