Hasta La Gadget!

Makers and 3D designers who want to replicate the shape and colour of real-world objects in their creations clap your eyes on the above gizmo. The Fuel3D is a handheld, high resolution 3D scanner, which captures 3D photos of real-world objects/subjects and, in conjunction with its creators’ software, turns them into a 3D model with accurate geometry and colour.

With 3D printers taking off, the demand for object scanners is likely to rise — especially affordable scanners, and the Fuel3D’s creators are aiming to ship this high resolution 3D scanner with a sub-$1,000 price-tag. Or that’s the plan, if it achieves its Kickstarter funding goal of $75,000 — all but certain, given it still has 31 days left to run on its campaign and less than $10,000 required.

A sub-$1,000 price-tag is not as cheap as the Photon 3D scanner we covered back in April — which was on Indiegogo for $399 — but that scanner was specifically focused on object scanning, with a small turntable design. Whereas the Fuel3D is more freestyle in what it can scan, allowing for human faces to be captured by holding the device up and taking photos in conjunction with a small target placed next to the face.

Its high resolution 3D capture also allows for detailed textures to be captured, providing a variety of use-case scenario for animators, game developers and 3D artists. In other words, this could be a handy office gadget for your gaming startup.

Well, this is definitely a first for the UPS Store, as they have just announced that they will hold the distinction of being the first nationwide retailer to test out 3D printing services; and this is done in-store, of course. Not all UPS Stores will offer this particular service, but only select ones, and this service is suitable for start-ups, small businesses and retail customers. It will kick off in the San Diego area, where other locations in additional cities across the US too, will be on the receiving end of this particular service sometime down the road.

Michelle Van Slyke, vice president of marketing and small business solutions at The UPS Store, said, “Start-ups, entrepreneurs and small business owners may not have the capital to purchase a 3D printer on their own, but they may have a need to show prototypes to their current and potential customers. By offering 3D printing capabilities in-center, we’re able to help further our small business customers’ opportunities for success.”

Right now, the UPS Store is testing out the Stratasys uPrint SE Plus printer, whose claim to fame is the ability to print detailed objects more accurately than home 3D printers. This is definitely one way for small businesses to churn out prototypes without burning a hole in their pocket, and enthusiasts too might want to take a gander at it. [Press Release]

Like It , +1 , Tweet It , Pin It | UPS Store Offers 3D Printing Service original content from Ubergizmo.

3D printing is more popular and accessible than ever, and printers are on course to get even cheaper soon. But printing is only one side of the equation; what about taking 3D pictures? There’s a convenient, handheld gadget in the works that could do just that, and way cheaper than anything else has before.

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We have had our fair share of run-ins with 3D printers in the past where news is concerned, and most recently, it is said that 3D printers could pose as a hazardous health risk in the home. I suppose that is not going to stop a certain Ivan Sentch of New Zealand who owns a second generation 3D printer known as Solidoodle, where he will use the Solidoodle to print a 3D car as you can see above. Of course, this does not mean that Ivan is on to the world’s first 3D printed car as that has been done before in the form of the Urbee, although not from the home.

Ivan has been dabbling in 3D printing since January this year, and for him to work on a 3D printed car without any prior experience in the world of 3D printing is even more impressive, as he had to pick up all the knowledge and skills from scratch since last Christmas. So far, Ivan has only 28% of the body left to print and the dash of the Aston Martin DB4 to go, so you can say that he is making quite decent progress.

Like It , +1 , Tweet It , Pin It | 3D Printed Car Looks Impressive Even When Incomplete original content from Ubergizmo.

NASA clearly loves 3D printing as much as we do—to the extent that it’s decided to take an entire 3D printer into space as early as next year.

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