A match made in high-tech heaven was unveiled at South by Southwest (SXSW) when Icon, a revolutionary design and construction company, announced its partnership with New Story, a San Francisco-based nonprofit that invests in international housing solutions. Their goal: To deploy a 3D-printer capable of manufacturing an 800-square-foot house in under 24 hours for less than $5,000.
It’s an ambitious project but one that has a headstart; Icon also brought to SXSW a fully functional 3D-printed model that demonstrates how the company can in produce a low-cost, livable home designed to function with zero waste and work under constraints such as limited water, power, or labor. For its efforts, Icon won this year’s SXSW Accelerator “Pitch Event,” receiving $4,000 and vital exposure to potential investors and constituents in the housing market.
New Story is an ideal test platform for the new 3D-printing technology as it’s a non-profit that already has deep roots in communities in Mexico, Haiti, El Salvador, and Bolivia. In three years, the nonprofit has funded more than 1,300 homes for families in need at a cost of about $6,500. New Story, supported by Y Combinator and other backers, works on a model that guarantees all funds collected goes to build homes.
Following the conference, Icon intends to use the model as an office in its own backyard so it can experience what it’s like to spend long amounts of time in the space and tweak the design accordingly. Each house can be assembled by just two to four workers. New Story also insists on manufacturers using a concept known as “participatory design,” meaning that their “customers” have an active role in sharing their needs before a build, so everyone involved can solve real problems. New Story also uses a streamlined, non-invasive approach to evaluating each project so that each new community they raise is better than the last one.
Using advanced robotics, cutting-edge materials and a proprietary software, Icon enables families to have options for different designs based on factors like terrain, climate, and family size. The actual “printer,” demonstrated at SXSW, is called the Vulcan and is built out of lightweight aluminum with a built-in backup generator.
Another challenge was developing a proprietary building mix using concrete that could be managed by the Vulcan but also suit New Story’s requirements, which include no exotic materials that might have to be imported. The mortar, which must be sourced from local materials, had to be thin enough to flow through the 3D printer but thick enough to support the building structure. The mix has to cure relatively quickly but if it cured too fast, the walls won’t fuse together properly. Heavy rain and challenges in cleaning slowed the company during its research and development phase.
Icon’s future goals are equally lofty. The manufacturer would like to develop robots capable of installing different assets like doors or windows, as well as drones that could spray-paint the exterior walls. It is also testing the Vulcan and other equipment to investigate the potential to print roofs as well. Eventually, Icon would also like to construct homes to alleviate the housing crisis in the United States.
Outdoor security cameras are not always practical if you live in an apartment or rental. Drilling into an exterior wall may be off-limits, while pointing a regular indoor camera through a window can create another problem once reflections start showing up after dark.
Baseus is trying to solve both issues with the new PrimeSentinel W1, a $69.99 security camera designed specifically to monitor the outdoors through glass. It mounts directly to a window without drilling and uses a 4K Starlight sensor with an F1.0 aperture for full-color monitoring during the day and at night.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
Technology evolves every day, transforming how we live and work. Our devices are becoming more than tools we use. They are increasingly capable companions that help streamline day-to-day routines and spark creative ideas. If you have been waiting for the right moment to upgrade your tech setup, the Discover Samsung Shopping Event offers an opportunity to explore what connected, AI-powered living can look like.
With AI progressing so fast, it's only a matter of time before we start getting AI companions like the ones we used to see in movies like R2-D2, Wall-E, or Baymax. Now, Singapore-based OKA Technology has unveiled Mori, a cute little AI companion that looks less like a conventional home robot and more like someone turned the Pokémon Foongus into a table lamp.
Mori isn't meant to clean your house or control your smart home, but to serve as what OKA calls a "Nature Companion." It uses subtle movements, warm lighting, nature-inspired sounds, and small reactions to make its presence around the house feel calming rather than distracting. Mori can sit quietly while you read, sway along to music, welcome you when you enter a room, or encourage you to slow down for a moment without requiring a screen or a conversation.