By Keeley Parker and Sofia Viapando
Staff Writers
Costa freshman Thomas Suarez has given ingenuity a whole new meaning by exploring the world of inventing and computer programming. Suarez is working on inventing a 3D printer that prints ten times faster then its competitors, along with developing a new style to printing with original, patented technologies.
“ORB is a new type of 3D printer with the goal of printing ten times faster than current machines,” Suarez said.
Thomas Suarez believes he can make a 3D printer that will be more technologically advanced than current models. Suarez began this project when he discovered that 3D printing was a very tedious and frustrating process. After creating many different designs, he finally succeeded in making the ORB printer.
Suarez’s printer has new patented technologies that are specific to the ORB. This includes the Spinning Disc to increase speed, as well as MultiHeat and Magnetic Material to help achieve the product that the printer creates. Suarez has developed the ORB to become more understandable through ORB Print Code.
In addition, Suarez made the ORB modular, meaning that it can be easily modified to new technologies as they come out. The individual modules are each used to perform a different, specific task in the printer. This is an innovative idea which he hopes will encourage those of all ages to invest their time in learning how to work 3D printers.
“ORB’s Modular Architecture is fully open,” Suarez said. “Anyone can make a module for ORB.”
Suarez presented his 3D printer at the Tribeca Disruptive Anti-Summit at the Tribeca Disruptive Innovation awards in New York during April of this year. He was accompanied by Google X representative, Georgia Dienst.
“Presenting at the Tribeca Anti-Summit was an incredible opportunity to share ORB’s breakthrough 3D printing technologies while having active discussions with brilliant people,” Suarez said.
Suarez had noticed the lack of programming education in middle school students. He wanted to develop broader problem solving skills in his peers and leverage technology to connect and promote learning.
Due to those observations, Suarez created AppCity, a nonprofit app development course that is part of Star Education; a nonprofit education organization. Suarez started AppCity in 6th grade as a club which quickly blossomed into an organization after assistance from research scientists from Research and Development Corporation, and a local marketing agency called Ignited.
“Coding is part of our future, and its even part of the present,” Suarez said. “Software is all around us.”
Suarez believes that software is all around us and constantly growing. He hopes that this project will help other youth get published and eventually generate income.
“Having the knowledge and drive to pursue to engineering of new and current devices is and will be very important,” Suarez said.
Currently, AppCity apps are only available on Androids, however he and those from RAND Corporation teach those from 11-15 to code apps. The program offers summer courses focusing on programming basics and android development through the JAVA language.
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