Dearborn, MI–He’s beyond smart and has a PhD in Material Science and Engineering to prove it. He’s taken technology beyond cool because he can “prototype this” and just about anything.
Dr. Mike North, co-host of the Discovery Channel’s “Prototype This!,” which aired in 2008, will be the opening keynote speaker at the Society of Manufacturing Engineers’ (SME) RAPID 2009 Conference & Exposition.
Set for May 12-14, 2009 in Schaumburg, Illinois, RAPID 2009 is the manufacturing industry’s premier and largest prototyping event for learning and networking.
Each year, RAPID, and the co-located 3D Imaging Conference, bring together the movers and shakers of design, prototyping, tooling and direct manufacturing technologies.
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And Dr. Mike North is certainly one who knows how to move and shake things up – literally. During his graduate work, he designed and fabricated the world's first adhesive that can be turned on and off electronically.
Beyond his inventions, his scientific pursuits include biomimetics, micro/nanofabrication, nanoscale microscopy and micro/nanomechanical characterization. What all this means for the uninitiated is that Dr. North understands how to make big things happen on a microscopic or very small scale and his investigations in these areas have been published in leading scientific journals.
Along with “Prototype This!” co-hosts and engineering geniuses Zoz Brooks, Joe Grand, and Terry Sandin, Dr. North invented such memorable innovations and contraptions from the useful (mind controlled car, traffic busting truck, wearable airbag) to the playful (automated pizza delivery, waterslide simulator, virtual sea adventure).
At Rapid 2009, he will not only share stories about these adventures, but also discuss how prototyping plays a pivotal role in getting inventions done right and in 3D living color.
“I'm really looking forward to the conference and making the most of interacting with the community,” he says.
Dr. North’s appearance at RAPID 2009 was made possible by the collaborative efforts of SME and the global prototyping and industry solutions company, Z Corporation.
And SME Show Manager, Gary Mikola say, “Our advisory committee invited Mike because he brought the importance of prototyping to the masses in a fun and exciting way. We’re overjoyed that he has accepted our invitation and we are grateful to Z Corporation for its support and participation in this year’s Conference.”
The RAPID 2009 conference and exposition 3D IMAGING conference will be held at the Schaumburg Renaissance Hotel & Convention Center in Schaumburg, IL on May 12-14, 2009.
Exposition Hours
Tuesday, May 12, 2009 11:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Thursday, May 14, 2009 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Keynotes:
Tuesday, May 12
- Mike North, PhD, Prototype This! The Discovery Channel.
- Mike is a master of the "nano" world and earned his Ph.D. in materials science and engineering from U.C. Santa Barbara. Mike discusses the challenges and resources needed to create spectacular, never before machines at breakneck speeds.
Wednesday, May 13
- Carl Deckard, PhD, retiredRetired.
- Chuck HallHull, 3D Systems Corp.
- Marc Soucy, InnovMetric Softwar.e
- Ping Fu, PhD, GEOMagic.
Over the past 20 years rapid prototyping and 3D imaging technologies have evolved into practical applications that have changed the way we manufacture. To celebrate this milestone, SME has invited four individuals who have been instrumental in advancing this science and making it available to many industries. Each speaker discusses their influences and visions for the technologies when they first started development.
Thursday, May 14
- Terry Wohlers, Wohlers Associates.
- Michael Raphael, Direct Dimensions.
The future state of the Rapid Manufacturing and 3D Imaging industries are discussed including where the industries are headed, what the future holds, and which developments and trends are most important to track and understand when making vital business decisions.