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]

How many times have you seen Star Wars? I know, I can’t count that high either. Well, here’s your chance to get up close and personal with a TIE Fighter. You can view an amazingly detailed model of Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter in your WebGL-compatible browser. As long as you aren’t using Internet Explorer you should be fine. (IE users can try this plug-in.)

It is a complete 3D mockup of Vader’s ship – minus The Dark Lord himself. Feel free to spin and zoom to check out every minute detail. Just use the mouse, left-click and drag to rotate. The right-click and drag will pan the view. The mouse wheel zooms in and out. This is the closest you will ever get to standing next to (or inside of) an actual TIE Fighter.

The model was uploaded to the Sketchfab site by user Trigrou. Sketchfab is a service that lets you host and explore 3D objects in several formats. Thanks to WebGL and HTML5, you don’t need any plugins to view it. Pretty awesome, I say.

[via Geek]

It seems like catalogs that work with X-ray type apps are starting to become a thing. Moosejaw started it all a couple of months ago with their winter catalog. IKEA followed suit with an X-ray app of their own, and now Wonderbra is getting on the bandwagon with an app of their own.

The app is called the ‘Wonderbra Decoder,’ and like the others, users simply have to hover it over the designated area on the image or in the video (and over the model) to start undressing her. In this case, the model happens to be 21-year-old Slovakian fashion model Adriana Cernanova, who sports Wonderbra’s newest lingerie offerings this season.

The app is available for free for and Android smartphones and for iOS (but not in the U.S. App Store). I have a feeling women won’t be the only ones who will be using this app…

[via PSFK via Gizmodo]

Hammacher Schlemmer is a high priced purveyor of all sorts of oddities and cool gadgets. One of my all-time favorite weird items from the company is the 20-foot long animatronic triceratops. The company has unveiled a new product this week that is a bit more useful than a giant dinosaur toy. The new product is called the Wireless Smartphone Photo Printer.

This handy printer connects to iOS or Android smartphones using a free app. The app allows users to send photos wirelessly across a home or office Wi-Fi network directly to the printer. The printer also has the old-style Apple docking connector on top, presumably to allow you to print directly.

The printer doesn’t use ink cartridges, instead using a special patented photo paper that has yellow, magenta, and cyan dye crystals embedded. The printer can produce 4 x 6 borderless photos at a resolution of 300 dpi with up to 256 gradations and 16.7 million colors. The printer sells for $219.95(USD) with replacement cartridges selling for $24.95. The only real downside is that each cartridge is only good for 12 prints, making each print cost more than $2.

Life can get pretty hectic sometimes. There’s school if you’re a student, work if you’re already working, and work plus school if you’re getting a graduate degree while doing some hard labor. With all the stuff you have to do on a daily basis, your life can pass you by, if you’re not careful.

So why not get one of these Autographers when they come out, so you can keep track of your life and see if you’re living the kind of life you’ve always wanted to live?

The Autographer is a wearable camera that automatically captures images based on the data that its five sensors – specifically, a magnetometer, color sensor, infrared detector, accelerometer, and thermometer. It uses this data, along with a special algorithm to automatically snap images of meaningful changes throughout the day (and your life).

Like a miniature version of the life-recording camera from several years back, the Autographer was originally created for users with dementia, so they can remember what they’ve been doing easily. But fortunately, some people convinced its creater, OMG, to also make it available to consumers.

The Autographer is priced at £399 (~$649 USD) and will launch in the UK this November. Launches for Japan and the US will follow afterward.

[via PetaPixel via Dvice]