Welcome to The Wave Engineering Newsletter, your weekly guide to the cutting edge of engineering. Whether you're a seasoned professional, an eager student, or simply curious about innovation, we’re here to inform, inspire, and connect.

I wanted to start this issue by thanking all of those that have engaged with me via email, on LinkedIn and through TheWave platform on the topics, questions, and stories that I have shared with you all. I want to continue to bring you the highest level of content, so keep challenging me with your questions!

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Periodically, I will deviate from my normal style and answer some of the most interesting and thought provoking questions. Want to be featured in a future issue? Just reply directly to the newsletter and I’ll be in touch.

Today, we will dive into 2 thought provoking questions posed by some of our readers. The first challenged me to rethink the Google glass saga and explore other products who failed at first but was revised with success. The second, a reflection on the “at home inventor” and the rise of cost effective personal prototyping.

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A few issues ago, I explored Google Glass as a cautionary tale of technological overreach. But what about products that initially failed yet eventually fulfilled their original vision? Here are three fascinating examples that offer valuable engineering insights:

Apple Newton → iPhone & iPad
Apple's 1993 Newton MessagePad pioneered touch computing and handwriting recognition, but failed due to unreliable functionality and high cost. A decade later, those same concepts—refined with mature technology—became the foundation for the revolutionary iPhone and iPad.

Nintendo Virtual Boy → Modern VR
Nintendo's awkward, eye-straining Virtual Boy (1995) attempted consumer VR two decades too early. Its monochrome display and limited capabilities doomed it to failure within a year. Today's Meta Quest and other VR headsets finally deliver the immersive experience the Virtual Boy could only hint at.

Samsung Galaxy Fold → Foldable Market
Unlike our other examples, Samsung's recovery from the Galaxy Fold's disastrous 2019 review period was swift. When screens broke after just days of use, Samsung delayed launch, fixed the protective film and hinge issues, and relaunched five months later. This rapid response established foldables as a viable category that continues to grow.

These stories reveal crucial engineering principles: sometimes vision exceeds available technology; user comfort and intuitive design can't be compromised; and immediate response to failure can save innovation. Perhaps most importantly, they remind us that in technological innovation, failure isn't the opposite of success—it's often its prerequisite.

Explore the full story below:

The revolutionary shift from industrial-scale manufacturing to personal fabrication is transforming how we create. Just released this month, the Bambu Lab H2D exemplifies this trend – combining professional-grade 3D printing, laser cutting, and digital plotting in one $1,899 device.

A decade ago, rapid prototyping required massive equipment, complex software, and substantial expertise available only to well-funded companies. Today, machines like the H2D bring these capabilities directly into our homes, turning spare bedrooms into innovation labs.

The impact extends beyond convenience. The global 3D printing market is projected to reach $63 billion by 2026, creating new entrepreneurial possibilities where product development cycles have compressed from months to days. Micro-manufacturing businesses, customization services, and distributed production networks are emerging as viable models.

These personal manufacturing hubs represent a fundamental change in our relationship with physical objects – we're no longer just consumers, but creators. For engineers and innovators, this means unprecedented freedom to design complex geometries, iterate rapidly, and bring ideas to life without the traditional constraints of production limitations.

Whether you're designing the next breakthrough product or simply fixing a broken shelf peg, the tools of creation have never been more accessible. The age of personal manufacturing has arrived, and the only limit is your imagination.

Read the full article on our website to explore the revolutionary capabilities of personal manufacturing hubs and what they mean for the future of innovation.

Engineering is about solving, innovating, and connecting ideas to make a difference. Progress is a collective effort and your curiosity is what drives it forward. Thank you for exploring the dynamic world of engineering with all of us at Pipeline Design & Engineering and The Wave.

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“Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while.” - Steve Jobs

In collaboration and creativity,
Brad Hirayama
Blueprinting tomorrow, today