Design Museum Asks - Should Home 3D Printing Be Regulated?

Design Museum Asks: Should Home 3D Printing Be Regulated?

Design Museum has commissioned a live vote machine to celebrate an upcoming exhibition about the future. A 3D printing machine will build a mystery object during TEDxHousesofParliament at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre on June 14. Swing Vote, designed by PAN for the Design Museum, is a machine that literally translates the power of public opinion into a physical force.

A global audience will be asked to vote on a question put by the Director of the Design Museum, Deyan Sudjic: "Should home 3D printing be regulated?"

Powered by social media, composed of a large pendulum and a 3D printer, 'Swing Vote' charges itself on the votes in favor of 3D printing regulation. But for every vote it receives for unregulated use it will relax.

At the critical moment - at the end of the day's conference - the pendulum will be released. If it has enough potential energy then it will smash through a Stop button connected to the 3D printer. If not, the finished object will be presented to the crowd.

Votes will be collected on the day via Twitter: #futureishere @DesignMuseum. Before the conference is over, the printer will complete its job - unless the public votes to stop it.

The Design Museum