Not too long ago, I posted on how 3D printing is pretty much going to change life as we know it. I was consulting in retail at the time and the level of “pooh-poohing” and general derision I endured was really quite epic.
This, the latest update in my aggregate trove (I follow ten industries and a variety of their convergence and cross-over points), indicates that we’re transitioning into the general “early adoption” stage in the mainstream. The process/pattern usually unfolds within two decades for retail and its related industry links into manufacturing and supply chain, et al; I suspect that time frame will be quantum accelerated by a spate of innovative and disruptive entrepreneurship efforts.
http://www.laboratoryequipment.com/news/2014/01/3d-printing-set-go-mainstream
For technology folks wanting a head’s up on future job growth vectors, I’d say now would be a really, really good time to get some AutoCAD or 3D modeling under your belt. Motion-capture and animation/editing probably wouldn’t be a bad idea, either. Aside: There’s a reason OrgPsyche is coming on like a storm; the world is changing and will be doing so rather dramatically for a time… the swell of interest in this area along with the explosion of human factors and related design practice are indicative.
Interesting times ahead.