Cheap Fast Eyeglasses from a Desktop Fabricator

purduephotog writes "Doctoral candidate Saul Griffith of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and inventor of the Lego powered chocolate printer was awarded the Lemelson-MIT Student Prize for inventing a device that molds eyeglasses rapidly and cheaply. Best of all, he's motivated for the good of humanity."

Comments

Better

[NoData]

He does it in about 5-10 minutes.

FTA: ...he created a portable device similar to a desktop printer that can produce any prescription lens from a single-mold surface in five to 10 minutes.

Patenting it IS "opening the IP up"

[Hooptie]

After he receives his patent, you or anyone else will be able to see EXACTLY how this device works. This is how the patent process is supposed to work. In exchange for letting the entire world know about/study his creation he will, for a limited time, have exclusive control over the rights to manufacture it. According to R.K. Dewan & Co. (IP Attorneys) "An inventor has to disclose his/her invention in such a manner that any person, other than the inventor, skilled in the art should be able to work out the invention."

Not "opening the IP up" would be manufacturing a "black box" that creates eyeglasses that cannot be opened or studied in any way, at least not without the lawyers/hit squad coming after you. The inventor would still have exclusive control over the rights to manufacture it, but no other person would be able to study it in any way.