Spring 2016 | Volume 22, No. 3
The gears of the medical droid whir as its mechanical arms work nimbly to replace the human's hand severed with a new, robotic one. As the human waits, her gaze wanders out the viewport of the huge, 1200 meter-long spaceship, taking in the infinite field of stars beyond. If this scene reminds you of a galaxy far, far away, think again. Advances in digital fabrication may soon bring not only customized prosthetics, but habitable cosmic structures within the realm of possibility. This issue of XRDS focuses on how computer-controlled fabrication promises to revolutionize the way we think about how things are "made." Also discussed are issues that arise in making machines that make. How do we ensure the sustainability of a future where millions of computers are churning out physical products? Where does personal creativity fit into this? These questions—social, technological, and artistic—and more—are addressed within these pages.