Hasta La Gadget!

You’ve heard me talk frequently about how excited I am about 3D printing technology, but this tech is still limited in that you need to know about 3D modeling to recreate objects. But with the advent of 3D scanners, you can even skip that step, and just scan in the objects you’d like to replicate.

The GO!SCAN 3D is a handheld 3D object scanner, which allows you to quickly and easily grab 3D images of real-world objects, and convert them into digital 3D models. These models can then be used for everything from CGI effects to video games, to serving as models for 3D printing. It uses a bright white LED as its light source, and offers a resolution of .500 mm, with an accuracy of 0.1mm. It’s scanning area can be as large as 15″ x 15″, and it can capture as many as 550,000 measurements every second – which its maker claims is about 10 times faster than standard 3D scanners.

This lightweight (2.4 pound) scanner caputures objects with a simple point-and-shoot method – all you have to do is aim the scanner at the object, and move it back and forth until it has all of the surfaces. You can even capture objects by moving them around, since the scanner doesn’t require a rigid setup like other 3D scanners. Perhaps the best way to see how cool the GO!SCAN really can be is to see it in action:

Wow. Pretty impressive, no? I so want one of these now. Creaform, the company behind GO!SCAN 3D doesn’t list pricing on its website, but I’m betting that the device isn’t cheap. If you’re interested in purchasing one, you can request more information here.

[via Boing Boing]

Drones are becoming a bigger part of life for those of us in the United States, but those rigs are flown by professionals who are paid to, well, not crash the extremely expensive tools. If you want to do amateur RC helicoptering at home, most experienced hobbyists recommend buying a inexpensive “starter” model, because you’re going to wreck the first RC helicopter you fly. That is, unless you’re flying the Space Ball, a new RC helicopter out of Japan that encloses the rotor mechanism in a flexible, plastic, cage. In Japanese fashion, there’s also a feature that lets you atomize fragrance all around the room with your mini helicopter.

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By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Force Flyer helicopter controlled with hand movement , Swann introduces a trio of RC helicopters,

Bain Capital appears to have benefited from a provision in the U.S. tax code that grants companies tax breaks for costs associated with offshoring American jobs. Bain profited from the closure of a Denver factory in early 2001, when SEC filings list Romney as the sole shareholder and CEO of multiple Bain enterprises.

The tax perk available to Bain while under Romney’s leadership conflicts with the Republican candidate’s comments at the first presidential debate of 2012.

“You said you get a deduction for getting a plant overseas,” Romney said, addressing Obama. “Look, I’ve been in business for 25 years. I have no idea what you’re talking about. I maybe need to get a new accountant.” A moment later, Romney added, “The idea that you get a break for shipping jobs overseas is simply not the case.”

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Smartphones are changing the world and making it easier for all kinds of people to access information. Except for blind people, who miss out on several of the aspects of smartphones and touchscreens that make them so cool. Qualcomm, which produces the Snapdragon SoC that powers many Android phones, has built features for blind people that could make life significantly easier for the 285 million visually impaired people worldwide. Qualcomm is calling the software  ”Project Ray,”  and it features a user interface that’s completely reconsidered from the point of view of a blind person. For instance, a user touches the screen, and that point becomes the starting point for other interactions with the device. The devices also use vibration to provide useful feedback. Currently, the UI can make calls, text with a vocal read-out, and do most social networking. Also, the Central Library for the Blind, Visually Impaired and Handicapped is making a lot of blind-accessible media available for download. Sounds like a good program.

The Project Ray handset is built on top of Android and is currently in testing in Israel.

The photo is courtesy of RedEyedRex.

By Ubergizmo. Related articles: EyeRing voice-activated augmented reality device for the blind, Busalert app helps blind people in identifying the arrival time of buses,

Just days before Lance Armstrong was stripped of all seven Tour de France titles and banned from the sport of cycling for life over doping allegations, the cyclist hosted his annual Livestrong cancer benefit in Austin, Texas. Unlike previous years, when the red carpet was packed with his celebrity friends, only pal Sean Penn showed up and talked to the press.

“It was shocking that Robin Williams and Norah Jones skipped the red carpet and entered through the back door,” one celebrity watcher tells me. “Plus, where was Matthew McConaughey? These two used to be very close friends, and he even lives in Austin.”

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