Iterate Weekly - Issue 151
This week we're looking at 3D printed chocolate, AI as a college major, Gocycle's folding cargo bikes, meat-based plants, and "American Fiction"
Welcome to issue 151 of Iterate Weekly.
Hope you’re all doing well. This is just a friendly reminder that you can always reply directly to these messages or leave a comment on the Substack post. Feedback is highly encouraged and I’m happy to answer any and all questions that come up.
Thank you as always for reading!
🤖 Tech
Will chocolate “ink” make people buy 3D printers?
I’ve been tempted to buy a 3D printer now for years. What’s keeping me from making the purchase?
The prices have gone down, they’ve become easier to use, and it seems like the ecosystem exists for plenty of fun projects. But would I be more likely to buy one if I could 3D-print chocolate?
Well, at least one printer called the Cocoa Press is able to pull off such a feat. It seems like a really fun way to make unique treats for kids and adults alike. But of course it also opens up a whole new world of culinary 3D-printing. It seems like 3D printed food will absolutely be a part of our future. It’s hard to tell if a majority of meals will come out of a printer or if it will just be for special items, but it’s coming.
The fantastic show “Upload” has referenced 3D-printed meals as part of our not-too distant future. In fact, they joke about special ovens being able to print faster or higher quality meals for holidays or special occasions.
Anyway, back to the Cocoa Press, it’ll cost you about $4,000 USD if you’re tempted to give it a try. And while it can use white, milk, or dark chocolate bars, you’re likely not getting the highest quality in order for it to properly melt and flex accordingly. It’s certainly not a forgiving medium either. I would only recommend this for the more experienced 3D printers out there.
But mark my words, 3D-printed food is on the way! The Cocoa Press is just the beginning.
🎓 Education/Productivity/Work
Will AI become the new trendy college major?
Every few years it seems like new college majors emerge. And that makes sense right? The world is always changing, and our educations should be changing along with it.
So it probably comes as no surprise that the AI major could soon become the latest trendy major to come to a campus near you.
The University of Pennsylvania takes the claim as the first school to offer an AI major as well as a degree in AI Engineering. And I’m sure they won’t be the last.
It’s also likely that schools will incorporate more AI-specific courses and programs even if they don’t offer the specific major. In some instances it may be a worthwhile curriculum, and in some cases it may just be trying to cash in on the latest trend while its hot.
But no matter how you look at it, these schools need to make students (and their parents) feel like the cost of their degree is worth it. And the promise of lucrative employment in nascent fields like AI may be one of the best marketing tools available.
♻️ Health & Environment
GoCycle’s folding e-cargo bikes could be huge
I have secretly wanted a GoCycle for years. If you’ve never seen one before, they’re widely-regarded as the most advanced folding bikes on the market. They can shrink down to far less space than the average folding bicycle.
So I was pleasantly surprised when GoCycle recently announced that they would be selling some new foldable electric cargo bikes.
They’re called the CXi & CX+ (I certainly wish they had better names, but what can you do?) and they both look pretty fantastic to me. You can see them in full glory in the video below:
Both bikes offer a sleek design with a rear rack that claims to hold an incredible 480 pounds of weight. That means you can easily haul gear, pets, kids, and even your adult friends. And like all of GoCycle’s bikes, they have an ingenious folding mechanism that can be activated in no time at all.
The more expensive CX+ will feature an “all-new patent pending Flofit® handlebar which brings a quantum leap in rider ergonomics and comfort.” It looks cool and kinda reminds me of the handlebar found on the Unagi scooter. Certainly innovative but maybe not super necessary on a bike.
Whichever model you go with, it’s just great to have that ability to properly fold a bike that can carry multiple kids. This bike should still be able to easily board trains and even some buses. And it will easily fit in the back of pretty much any car so you can always ride around with kids and pets once you reach your destination.
These bikes are still in the pre-order phase and I will be very eager to see some reviews once they’re actually in people’s hands.
🛍 Grab Bag
Plant-based meats or meat-based plants?
Here’s an odd story. I’ve written a lot about meat that is made out of plants, but I’m pretty sure this is the first time I’ve ever heard of plants being made from meat.
You may be asking why (as I certainly was). But this could be a way to increase the protein and fat content of rice in a way that is relatively efficient and sustainable. Oh, and did I mention that this mutant cow rice is also a very appetizing bright pink color?
The thought process here isn’t for every table to be serving pink bovine rice on a regular basis. But this could be the start of something that could fight famine and offer an alternative protein source that is easily digestible and familiar to much of the population.
Now if we could just figure out a way to 3D-print this new pink beef rice, we could really be onto something!
💬 Quote of the Week
"One-fifth of the people are against everything all the time."
-Robert Kennedy
🎥Content Recommendation
American Fiction
Another week, another Oscar movie to recommend.
This week my wife and I checked out “American Fiction” starring Jeffrey Wright and Sterling K. Brown. Wright and Brown are both fantastic in this film and well-deserving of their best-actor nominations.
I don’t think I’d put this movie in my top three for best picture, but I did really enjoy it. It touches on important cultural issues while not taking itself too seriously. It will leave you thinking while you’re laughing. It felt like the type of movie that wouldn’t normally gather a lot of Oscar buzz and I thought it was refreshingly different from the other nominees in the Best Picture category.
Thanks for reading, I’ll see you next week!
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