There are many different subjects that I would like to learn about. The list is continuous and never ending. Unfortunately, I only have a finite time on this planet to learn about given subjects, so I fear that my true thirst for knowledge will never be satisfied.

1. Design software - While I am proficient using Solidworks, there are still several aspects of it that I do not fully utilize. I have recently delved into the photo realistic rendering aspect of the software, and am finding it extremely interesting. While I have much yet to learn on this subject, the results that can be obtained by proper implementation of this software can be both time saving and informative as a good idea of the overall look of a product can be obtained without fully prototyping the product.
    

2. Music - On so many levels, this is an important and intellectually stimulating subject area. If I had the time, I would like to resume the piano lessons my parents gave me some 30 years ago. Of course, I never have and spend the little free time I do have unwisely. Music is my one creative outlet, and I think it would be interesting to, in some way, incorporate music into the designs that I create, either in the actual design process itself, by letting the sounds direct the concepts, or by using music as an enhancement of some sort of design.

3. Rapid Prototyping - The ability to create parts, both useable and for prototyping purposes from either selective laser sintering, stereolithography or fused deposition has always intrigued me since I first heard of it several years ago. Solidworks, the software I use to design my 3-D parts for the company I work for, has a built in feature that allows you to directly send your 3-D model to a couple companies that can quote/manufacture the part you've already designed. I'm still waiting for that one part that will make this process feasible for us. I suspect, though, that the cost will need to come down considerably before this process becomes more widely used. Perhaps another revolution in the manufacturing processes is what is required for this to occur.

4. FEA - Finite Element Analysis -  It might just be that it's another gadget I can tinker with, and gadgets interest me, but I've toyed around with the FEA that is available in SolidWorks (CosmosWorks) and have found it very interesting. FEA is the process of using a numerical computational simulation called finite element method. The process is broken into three steps: Preprocessing, where a CAD model has a mesh applied to it, Analysis, where the forces are computed to find the strains and stresses, and finally Visualization, where the results are applied to the CAD model. With the dramatic computational power increases over the past few years, it is becoming more and more feasible to run FEA studies on critical parts. These are images I ran quickly using the CosmosWorks module of Solidworks.

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