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The World of 3D Portraiture
An anonymous reader writes in with this BBC story about the niche market of 3D printed "selfie" models. By now we're familiar with tales of 3D-printed marvels, from guns to duck prosthetics. But when I traveled to a physics conference in March, I wasn't expecting to end up with a full colour printout of myself. However, at a small stall that popped up on Industry Day at the American Physical Society's March meeting — that is precisely the service that was being offered. I stepped on to a little rotating platform, tried to stand still for a few awkward minutes while a camera scanned me up and down, and then filled out a form. A few weeks later, a box has arrived in the post. Somewhere inside it, my two-inch twin is waiting for me to overcome my trepidation and show him the light of day. But I'm in no hurry; it all seems a bit... odd. The box sits on my desk for several days. Even though getting 'printed' puts me in the illustrious company of Barack Obama and Richard III, I'm unsure about my decision. What, I wonder, does someone do with a small selfie in statue form? Where does this business find its customers?
It is easy to find customers in need of 2 inch simulacrums; voodoo dolls! If a little jute doll with a bit of your victim's hair having a pin stuck into it will cause pain then sticking a pin into a 3D printed one should blow holes in them like they were shot with Dirty Harry's 44 magnum.
Is a "selfie" now... any representation of a person? Or does everyone want to use that word as much as possible because trendy? :(
You're missing the most obvious use of this technology: you use it to make a full scale model of just one portion of your anatomy, not your complete body. You then give that model to your girlfriend to use when you're not there. Of course, guys being guys, most will be tempted to make a 150% scale model instead...
I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
Did people have the same dilemma with developed photos when they were first becoming widespread? You put it on your mantle beside the family portrait. You give it to a loved one. Give it to a blind friend in wallet size.
When my mother in law first heard about 3D printers and this type of technology, she wanted to run out and buy a 3D printer so she could make a family 'portrait' of statuettes. She still doesn't understand that she also needs a 3D scanner, not just a 3D printer...
I think the early startups were going after the wedding topper market. Those are the decorations on the top of the cake that have often been in the form of little bride and groom dolls. Now those dolls can be actual replicas of the bride and groom.
James May out of Top Gear did a program where he reproduced a model aircraft kit at life size, and had the pilot figure made with his face. An acceptable bit of vanity, I think.
If I still did Warhammer Battle, I might like my general figure to be me. I can't sculpt faces well enough.
Apart from that ... mementoes of the kids for granny?
Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
What better way to play with yourself?
1) Ability to print life size
2) Ability to print with a jointed endoskeleton and soft, skin-like silicone body around endoskeleton
3) Ability to generate 3D model from 2D photos (especially extreme telephoto photos)
4) Shame-free "plain brown wrapper" shipping option
to a Twilight Zone episode?
I think it is the author of TFA that is in the twilight zone. The notion that this service will lack customers is absurd. A few years ago, there was a booth making cheap 3D wax head models at the Circus-Circus in Las Vegas. There was a long line of people waiting for their turn. My kids each got one.