Hasta La Gadget!

We’ve seen some pretty unusual vending machines these past few years, ranging from the playful to the extraordinary and downright strange. The soon-to-be-released Dreambox, however, is in an entirely different league. It doesn’t sell any specific goods because there’s nothing on display except a 3D printer.

And you know what that means: virtually unlimited possibilities. All you have to do is find a 3D model of whatever you want to print, and you’re good to go.

Unfortunately, 3D printers are still quite expensive and if you only want to use it to print stuff sparingly, then it’s a wasted investment. The people behind Dreambox are probably aware of that, which is why they’re pushing forward with this vending machine of sorts in the first place. They’re in the prototype stage, and you can watch it in action in the clip below.

Obviously, there are still limitations to prosumer 3D printers like the one in the Dreambox – most specifically the size of objects they can print, as well as printing speed. To tackle the latter, you’ll upload your order remotely for pickup, and receive a message when your object is ready for pickup at your local Dreambox. That said, if you don’t mind waiting a couple of weeks to receive your 3D object, you can always use an online service such as Shapeways or Ponoko.

[via Inhabitat via Dvice]