Klone World

At CES we encountered Klone World in the 3D Systems’ booth. Klone World is a service that provides the increasingly popular ability to implant your 3D face on a figurine. Klone World offers a number of different figurine scenarios and poses, different than those offered by 3D Systems’ 3DMe service. 

 

Amazingly, the service works by uploading a single 2D image of your face. There’s no need for profiles or multiple shots. Somehow the software interprets the shadowing in the image into contours of the 3D printed face. 

 

Pricing is inexpensive for these items, ranging from as low as USD$4.99 up to USD$30. 

 

One terrific usage scenario for Klone World figurines is as personalized game pieces. Imagine that it’s actually YOU that’s moving around the game board. 

 

Via Klone World

Skip the Draft; Cubify Gets You Into the NBA Now

Cubify announced another terrific addition to their "3DMe" service, which puts your face on different 3D printed figurines. The awkwardly named but legally correct "3DMe™ Sports featuring NBA® app!" accepts as input a couple of facial images and applies them to a selection of basketball figurine poses. 

 

The NBA part comes in when you select the NBA team your figurine will join - and your own jersey number. The service automatically puts it all together with a circular base that includes the team's logo and an optional message. 

 

The price? A pretty reasonable USD$69.99 per figurine.

 

We're wondering when they'll add NHL hockey. 

 

Via Cubify

Captured Dimensions Captures Your Dimensions

A new, sophisticated and highly specialized 3D print service has launched: Captured Dimensions. This 3D print service focuses on producing full-color 3D figurines based on human and similar subjects. 

 

The crown jewel of Captured Dimensions is this incredible 3D scanning setup, involving dozens of high-res cameras. The subject merely sits in the center of the studio and an operator triggers all cameras to capture a still image simultaneously. The captured images are processed into a very accurate 3D model, which, of course, is then 3D printed for your amusement. 

 

The unique feature of the scan setup is that it is instantaneous. Many other 3D scan setups involve rotating the subject or moving a 3D depth camera around somehow, requiring the subject to remain absolutely still. 

 

This is difficult for most people to do, and impossible for children and pets. But what if the scan were instant? Yes!

 

Captured Dimensions can thus work with almost any subject, barring the usual constraints around shiny, transparent or ultra-thin bits. Their video even shows excellent 3D scans of a dog. 

 

They offer 3D prints in various sizes and prices, but the catch is that in order to capture your scan, you'll have to visit their studio in Richardson, Texas. 

 

Via Captured Dimensions (Hat tip to Syndi)

Coca Cola 3D Prints Mini-Me's

Here's an interesting marketing angle: Coca Cola Israel recently launched their new "mini bottle". To promote it they offered a free 3D print of the winners. Yes, "of the winners". 

 

A contest selected a small number of winning entrants, who were then invited to Coca Cola Israel's factory, where sophisticated full-body 3D scanners captured their shapes. After a quick 3D print in a 3D Systems color printer, the winners were presented with a model of themselves. 

 

 

The video describes the gift as: "we gave them a personal experience they will remember forever." While a 3D printed figurine is pretty unique today, we suspect in the future it won't be. And the quality of the print will be much better, too. Years from now they'll look back at the experience and realize they were slightly ahead of everyone else. 

L'Altrome Launches

We've been directed to a new Italian service that can produce full-color 3D printed figurines based on your own image. 

 

The service is similar to others we've seen, but is very simple to use. You must provide two color images of your (or someone's) head: a front view and a side view. These images are used by L'Altrome's software and 3D modelers to produce a 3D model of your head. 

 

You then select a configuration from the three possibilities above and "dress" the figures from a good selection of adornments. The head is placed on the body and then entire figurine is 3D printed and sent directly to you. They say: "You put your face… We put the dress!"

 

Pricing for this service is €250 for a single figure, €300 for a two-figure standing pose and €400 for a sitting pose of two figures. 

 

While there are existing services delivering this form of service, we suspect a regional focus will increase sales. Expect more of these services to pop up in all geographies. 

 

Via Altrome (in italiano)

Cubify's Next Generation

You might recall Cubify's 3DMe app that puts your head on a custom 3D printed Star Trek figurine? The next generation of the app now includes Star Trek: The Next Generation models. 

 

You can now select ST:TNG uniforms in either blue, gold or red. (We would strongly advise not selecting red, because, you know…)

 

The app uses images of your face and plants them accurately on predesigned models, which are available in several poses and genders. Well, two genders. 

 

Available now for USD$69 and an image of yourself.  

 

We're wondering if Sir Patrick Stewart would consider making one of these?

 

Via Cubify

My3DTwin Makes… You!

A new service based in the UK can produce a full color 3D print of people. The service requires an in-person visit to their studio where your 3D image will be captured in some detail by a "custom made" 3D scanner. 

 

The captured 3D model is quickly cleaned up and printed in full color on a 3D Systems ProJet 660Pro - usually ready in 24 hours. This service differs from many other "print yourself" services in that it prints ALL of you rather than simply pasting your face on an existing body. 

 

 

Figurines are available in three sizes: 

 

• "Standard" 15cm for £84 (USD$125)
• "Delux" 20cm for £120 (USD$179)
• "Ultra" 25cm for £192 (USD$286)

 

The company is new, having been founded in London in 2012 with the intention of "exploring the full potential of each type of 3D scanning including laser, white light and photogrammetry." While they provide standard 3D printing and scanning services, their My3DTwin service is very accessible to the public. 

 

Via Levavo

3D Printed Ponies!

Across the world today many people have 3D printers, but what do they make with them? We're seeing inventive folks focus on very specific categories and styles of objects, each trying to eke out a business by servicing the needs of others. Student and artist Nyasu decided to make cute ponies with his 3D printer. 

 

But Nyasu does more than simply design and print the ponies. As you can see in these images, the ponies simply don't come out of their Reprap Prusa Mendel personal 3D printer and look like this.  

 

Nyasu finishes these ponies impeccably. Not only are supports trimmed off with a Dremel, but the ponies are subjected to a vapor bath to smooth out the layers to a shiny finish. Finally the ponies are attractively painted. The finished ponies are sold online to, we presume, pony lovers worldwide. 

 

As a business, ponies might not make you the next Mark Zuckerberg, but it could buy you a new 3D printer.   

 

Via Clawed-Nyasu

Sad Keanu: A 3D Printed Meme

In 2010 paparazzi snapped a pic of actor Keanu Reeves sitting on a bench and looking a bit dejected. The image quickly exploded into an internet meme, generating thousands of images, captions and sites dedicated to the concept. 

 

The meme continues. Shapeways creator neuralfirings developed a 3D model of the Keanu pose and offered it for sale in full color at the reasonable price of USD$45. 

 

Then Alexis Madrigal, senior technology editor at The Atlantic, ordered one. 

 

The result is the resurrection of the meme, this time in 3D printed form. Madrigal imaged the Keanu in various meme scenarios, producing dozens of new variations, some of which are shown here. Be sure to check out his post to see all of them, including the multi-memed "Binders of Women".  

 

We think this could be a key application for 3D printing. With the right model, amazing, amusing, profound or, in this case, sad, images can easily be posed and captured. If sufficiently viral we could see popular 3D prints reproduced widely simply for the purpose of making cool images. 

 

If only Keanu wasn't so sad. 

  

Via The Atlantic and Shapeways

3D Print Yourself in Carbonite At Disney

Disney is re-opening their D-Tech Star Wars experience at their Hollywood Studios part on May 17th. Why are we so interested in this? Because among the Star Wars-y stuff on display will be two 3D print services that you can be personally involved in. 

 

One service, which they had last year, involves taking a high-resolution facial scan and printing you out on a slab of "carbonite", just as had happened to Han Solo in the film years ago. 

 

The other service is new. With the same facial scan Disney will put your head on a Star Wars Stormtrooper figurine. 

 

Both services take about ten minutes to complete, cost USD$99.95 and have a shipping delay of 7-8 weeks. 

 

This could be the best Disney souvenir ever.

 

Via Disney

Cubify Launches 3DMe

Billed as "Personalized 3D Printed Figurines", the new Cubify 3DMe service does just that. Upload a photo of a face and paste it on one of several pre-made figurines and they'll 3D print you. Literally. 

 

There's quite a large selection of figurines to choose from, including Male/Female, Sports, Jobs, Costumes and Occasions. For example, you could choose, "Cowboy", "Superheroine", "Hockey Player", "Lucha Libre Wrestler", "Knight", "Sexy Nurse", "Chef", "Graduate", etc. There WILL be a figurine you will like. 

 

These are ideal to be used as gifts, trophies and especially as cake toppers.

 

Two color photos are best practice for upload, a Front and a Profile, although they can do with just a Front if necessary. We assume they simply duplicate the profile on the opposite side of the head, so this technique might not work if you are somehow asymmetrical. 3DMe then adds a base onto which you can add a custom message.

 

Priced at USD$65, the figurines are 3D printed in full color on the company's ZCorp printers. 

 

There's a poll at 3DMe asking what genre of figurines to produce next, including options for Fairy, Vampires and Pirates. We think Pirates. Don't you? 

 

Via Cubify and 3D Systems

3D Printed Business Figures

Everyone hands out business cards - it's been the standard method of exchanging business information for a very long time. But now Nanning de Jong of 3Dwergen in The Netherlands has created an alternative approach using 3D printing: Business Figurines. 

 

3DWergen's client, Resoluut, a web and software firm, already had several cartoons used as part of their branding. 3DWergen built upon these concepts to create twelve 3D model figurines, each corresponding to Resoluut's staff members. They say: 

 

Every employee at Resoluut has his/her own action hero. We paid much attention to the proportions and postures of the cartoons to retain the original style. The back and side views of the models still had to be imagined: a creative challenge!

 

The results are pretty amazing. One action figure even has a transparent space helmet! 

 

Needless to say, Resoluut's clients are totally impressed with the rather notable "cards". However, it might prove difficult to store a few hundred of these figurines for all your business contacts. Imagine your cubicle lined with rows of colorful contacts. 

 

Via 3DWergen

Sandboxr's Figurine Service

There's another 3D print service about to emerge: Sandboxr. It's specialized for the easy creation of 3D figurines using a friendly interactive interface. 

 

The new service should enable you to create a unique figurine 3D model by posing a pre-made highly detailed 3D model prepared by professional artists. It appears very reminiscent of game characters being brought into a 3D printing environment. In fact, the pre-made characters include animations you can scroll through to find the perfect pose. There will be a variety of relevant accessories to adorn your model. 

 

Once you've finished designing your model, you'll have an option to send it to Sandboxr's 3D printers to produce a physical print of your design. The prints appear to be in full color, suggesting they're produced on a ZCorp printer model. 

 

As of this moment, Sandboxr seeks funding via a Kickstarter campaign. Their goal is $125,000, mainly to obtain additional 3D printers for production. 

 

We believe Sandboxr could be a terrific service for many people. There's a large population interested in cool figurines and when you combine that interest with 3D printing, what could happen? 

 

Via Kickstarter

Another 123App: Creature

Autodesk has been rapidly adding apps to their free suite of consumer 3D apps, with the most recent addition being 123D Creature, with which you can create "creatures". 

 

The USD$7.99 iOS app is similar to others in the suite, permitting easy generation of a 3D model. This app is focused on limb-based objects that will become amazing creatures, unlike our rudimentary attempt shown here. 

 

The creation process proceeds through a series of steps where you gradually build up the model, beginning with the basic armature, then filling out the limbs, and so on. 

 

When you're done you can export the mesh for 3D printing or if you'd like to a 3D print service like Sculpteo. Sculpteo's CEO, Clément Moreau told us: 

 

This app is really amazing, and contains the 3d printing cloud engine feature from Sculpteo.

 

We agree - it's a fantastic app for creating creatures. 

 

Via 123Dapp

Mixee Me Launches

There's always room for another design-it-yourself service and today is the launch of Mixee Me, a service specializing in personal design of figurines. 

 

The concept is straightforward: you aren't able to design in 3D yourself, so you'd go to Mixee Me and use their incredibly easy web interface to design a personalized figurine. Your design is sent to Shapeways behind the scenes where it is 3D printed in full color. And yes, the full colors you selected in your design. 

 

The figurines cost USD$25 plus shipping.

 

Nancy Yi Liang of Mixee Me says: 

 

We believe in a future where anybody can make anything they want. Instead of ordering stock products through Amazon, you can download virtual 3D files, maybe tweak them to suit your specific needs, and send them to the printers.

 

Each product can be customized to your specific needs. Holding something that you designed in your hands is a delightful, personal experience. It can really change the relationships people have with their stuff.

 

They're planning to add more custom-design creative experiences in the future.  

 

We tested the service and found the interface to be very simple. In fact, it's almost too simple. At first we were perplexed by the lack of controls and seemingly restricted figurine shape, but after playing around for a while it became clear that you really could produce "your own" design. Check it out and you'll see what we mean. 

 

Meanwhile, our design is looking cool. 

 

Via Mixee Me