This new 3D scanner for the iPad is probably the coolest thing ever invented.
It’s the iSense 3D Scanner and what it does is like something from out of Star Trek. You will find it compatible with the iPad 4 with retina display, iPad mini with retina display and iPad Air.
What this gizmo does is allows you to take a 3D picture of any object, stores it and you can then later print it via a 3D printer! Just think of the possibilities here. You take a picture of your favorite objects, let’s say your sports medals, toys, even pets and the image is stored. You just print out the object in your 3D printer and voila! You’ve got a duplicate there. The possibilities are endless. You’ve just caught that big record breaking trout and before you toss it on the barbie you take a pic of it with your iSense and you’ve got a 3D duplicate of the catch that didn’t get away and can prove it.
Valuable tools, parts, heirlooms, glass frames, and more are easily captured by the device and can be printed at leisure. The fun and excitement of this item is going to take the planet by storm even if it does cost over $400 at present and is on pre-order.
It can take an image of something as tiny as a thimble to something as big as an auto. That hot rod you built, your grandpa’s favorite tractor, the dog house, whatever, you can take a pic of it with the iSense and make a 3D print using any of the printing materials available. Take the baby and make a 3D image and print out some copies to send to relatives. Scientists in the field digging up artifacts can take an image of an item, email it to the lab and a copy is produced. Police can take images at crime scenes and make forensic duplicates to examine. Use this to make 3D images of your hands, feet, ears so that you can make custom jewelry to fit perfectly. It just doesn’t end with the possibilities.
3D Systems is the company behind all this and pre-orders are going through Cubify. As time goes on the prices are sure to drop and the technology gets better. This is truly a changing point in 3D printing industry technology and one that is going to just be the most popular thing to come along since who knows what.