Oct 28, 2015 | By Kira
A new Kickstarter campaign launched today wants to make full-color 3D scanning and printing as sweet as can be. Scandy Sphere takes 360° panoramas—either from your own camera, or from a selection of online favorites—and transforms them into vibrant, durable 3D printed keepsakes that go beyond your average framed photo. The company has also developed an iPad app that works with an Occipital Sctructure Sensor 3D scanner, and plans to release the Scandy app 2.0, which will actually turn your iOS or Android smartphone into its own 3D scanner so you can create 3D panoramas and order prints anywhere and anytime.
Scandy was founded just over a year ago by New Olreans residents Charles Carriere and Cole Wiley, who were both frustrated that there was no foolproof way to take a full-color 3D scan and order a full-color 3D print from your mobile device. Yes you could take your own scans if you already owned a 3D scanner, and you could upload them and order via various 3D printing services, but few people own 3D scanners and not all 3D printing services are equal. What about an optimized all-in-one 3D scanning and printing process that would create unique, memorable 3D printed objects you couldn’t get anywhere else?
That’s when they came up with Scandy. The Scandy app, which they have been working hard over the past year to make as intuitive as possible, as well as available on both iOS and Android, will let users take full-color scans with nothing more than their smartphone. That’s right: no costly 3D scanner required. Once you’ve gotten your 3D scan, you can also use the app to order 3D prints directly from their online store. The iPad app is already available on the app store, and the smartphone version is apparently just around the corner, with an expected launch in Spring 2016.
The Scandy Spheres themselves are full-color decorative keepsakes, 3D printed on a 3D Systems ProJet 660, which prints color directly onto the 3D model for the most vibrant color possible. After being 3D printed, each Sphere is artfully post-processed by the Scandy team for the best possible image quality and finishing. Scandy Sphere images can either be chosen from your favorite panorama photos (as the developers say, you probably already have a bunch in your camera roll right now, sitting in ‘virtual purgatory’ because you don’t know how to display them), or you can select from various ‘Scandy Favourites’ (including San Fran’s Golden Gate Bridge or Jackson Square in New Orleans). If you do choose to go with your own personal panorama photo, once uploaded to the app or website, their ‘magical’ servers will optimize the photo to make sure it can be 3D printed onto a sphere.
The developers are quick to point out that both the app and Scandy Spheres are well past concept stage and already exist as solid, finished products. That means that by backing the Kickstarter, you are guaranteed to get what you’ve paid for. In fact, the reason for the crowdfunding campaign is to scale up production by purchasing a new 3D Sysetms ProJet 660 3D printer and expanding their post-processing station in order to get Scandy into as many hands as possible. “We are not one of those pie in the sky Kickstarter campaigns with a project that is not real,” they wrote. “We are scanning and 3D printing today, and backing us gets you early access to Scandy.”
As far as the rewards go, there are some pretty sweet deals. All Scandy Spheres on Kickstarter are at discounted prices (starting at $30 for the small size), and backers will also receive beta access to the Scandy 2.0 app, and a coupon for their first 3D print. Orders are expected to be shipped in less than four weeks once the campaign closes (two weeks for Scandy Favorites). So far they have raised $4,600 of the $25,000 goal.
The Scandy Sphere makes use of 3D printing’s full color capabilities and unique shape possibilities, and would make a wonderful family gift, office decoration, or personal keepsake. It’s also an affordable and personalized way to put 3D scanning and 3D printing technology directly into the hands of consumers, all while making full-color 3D scanning and 3D printing easy as pie.
Posted in 3D Printing Application
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