June 2025

MakerSpace Spotlight

3D Print Pen

• The 3D print pen can be used to freehand your own creations or repair a 3D print.
• Use a glass sheet to start your design and build up from there.
• The 3D print pen is free to use and uses scrap pieces of filament.
• This tool reaches high temperatures, so care should be taken when using it. Avoid touching the tip of the pen as this is where it is hot.

Contact the MakerSpace for 1-on-1 help and questions about using our 3D print pen. The tool is available to use on a first-come, first-served basis during open make times or by appointment. A MakerSpace agreement form is required for the use of the 3D print pen.

A New Color!

Scientists have discovered a new color and named it Olo. So far, only five people have had the opportunity to experience this new color, as it is not visible to the human eye without modification. Using lasers the scientists projected light into the participant's eyes to activate the M cones in their eyes. M cones react to medium wavelength light which is perceived as green.

The color viewed by participants was described as a teal or peacock blue that was more intense than any color they had seen before. Researchers state that the closest color on a computer display would be represented by hexadecimal code #00ffcc.

The laser setup used has been called Oz after the vibrant Emerald City depicted in The Wizard of Oz. The researchers hope to use this research and the Oz setup to do further research into colorblindness. They do state that the effects of the laser are only temporary and are not permanent so this would not be a cure for colorblindness, but rather a way for the colorblind to experience a full range of colors and for scientists to learn more. Watch the video below to see an interview with one of the researchers and a participant in the study to explain his experience.

References

ABC News (Australia). (2025, April 20). Scientists say they’ve discovered a new color. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJYWTV6a7Ic

Fong, J., Doyle, H. K., Wang, C., Boehm, A. E., Pandiyan, V. P., Herbeck, S. R., Schmidt , B. P., Ng, R., Roorda, A., Sabesan, R., Tuten, W. S., Vaston, J. E., & Tiruveedhula, P. (2025, April 18). Novel color via stimulation of individual photoreceptors at population scale. Science Advances. https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adu1052

Krywko, J. (2025, April 23). Only five people have seen this new impossible color. Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/researchers-discover-new-color-thats-impossible-to-see-without-lasering-your/