This is my entry for the Thingiversity Technology S.T.E.A.M. Challenge:
LightItUp. The assembled part is a functional light-up eyeball
demonstrator to encourage kids of all ages to think about how basic lens
technology works and how the marvelous biological optical systems in our
heads (aka our eyes) enable us to see.

I've blogged my development progress at http://monoculight.tumblr.com
which is also available as a PDF document in the Thing Files as
"Monoculight-Development-Blog.pdf".

Abbreviated build instructions are provided under "Instructions" and the
full detailed build instructions including figures are available in the
Thing Files as "Monoculight-Documentation.pdf". This document also
includes a complete description on how Monoculight is especially
relevant to the MakerBot Technology Challenge.

This was a fun project in which I had to develop a lot of technology
(printing hemispheres, snap fit features, battery holders, circuits, CAD
parameterization, lens fabrication, etc.). But what I'm most proud of is
how Monoculight can be used to inspire self-directed technology
education. Just put a Monoculight in someones hands and see what
happens:

• Experience how basic lens technology works in a very tactile and
  understandable way.

• Press a button to make bright lights. Pop the Monoculight open and
  see the very simple circuit technology at work.

• Confused about why the image is upside down on the retina in
  Monoculight while we don't see things upside in real life? It's easy
  for our brains which are better image processors than any technolgy
  ever invented.

• Light up Monoculight in the dark and observe first hand additive color
  mixing which is the principle behind the ubiquitous display
  technologies we use every day.

• Curious about that display technology? Open Monoculight, place it near
  a display and see the RGB pixels firsthand.

A big thanks to the folks at MakerBot for hosting the Thingiversity
Summer S.T.E.A.M. Challenges. This contest provided an inspirational
spark for myself and many others to work on developing technology around
3D printing and Light. It's been great fun!