Nov.5, 2013
Finger painting is enjoyed by many, particularly young children, because it does not require any instructions to enjoy. Let's be open-minded, finger painting is no longer just child's play. Visitors at this year's Toronto Mini Maker Faire were able to wave their fingers paint in the air, and watch these air drawings being turned into plastic sculptures.
Thanks to a 3D printer and the Leap Motion Controller, designers at Hot Pop Factory were able to let people of all ages experiment with this magic throughout the weekend at Maker Faire. As they waved their fingers over the Leap Motion micro sensor, their doodles instantly appear on a digital monitor. Those doodles were then brought to life in 3-dimensions by a Makerbot Replicator 3D printer.
"We are passionate about finding the creative applications of 3D printing." writes Hot Pop Factory. "Right now the tools used to create content for 3D printers are often rather archaic and unintuitive for those who are not already experienced 3D designers. The projects that are exciting us most at the moment involve finding new means of interacting with these machines that break down these barriers."
"For 3D printing in particular the Leap is especially interesting, because unlike a mouse, which moves around on a 2D plane, the Leap is specifically equipped to interpret 3D input. This helps alleviate one of the major pain points in getting new users to create 3D content, which is navigating 3D space on a 2D screen with a 2D input device."
"We loved seeing how different people approached the sensor and learned to self-navigate our program on their own terms, bringing their own personality."
Watch these kids in the video below experiencing finger painting with leap motion and 3D printing and check out some of their creations.
Posted in 3D Printing Applications
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