May 18, 2017 | By Benedict
A Kickstarter is underway for Waggle, a remote control that lets you monitor and control your 3D printer from anywhere, even if the printer is an older model. Early bird backers can secure the smartphone-compatible 3D printer remote for $65.
Many modern 3D printers come with remote control capabilities—and for good reason too. Since it’s impractical to keep an eye on your 3D printer for hours at a time, it makes sense to be able to control and monitor the machine remotely. This way, prints can be aborted if something goes awry.
The thing is, many 3D printers built before the ubiquity of remote control are still great 3D printers in other respects. So what do you do? Upgrade your reliable old machine for a new one, just so you can have it linked up to your phone or tablet? Many users are forced to choose this option, even when it doesn’t seem to make financial sense.
This is why A-Team Ventures, a South Korean creative venture company, has launched Waggle, a remote control for 3D printers that is compatible with many kinds of 3D printer, old and new. The device is a bit like the Raspberry Pi-powered AstroBox launched a few year back, but A-Team reckons its new device has the edge over competing models.
Waggle is, according to its makers, “both a hardware device that plugs into your 3D printer, and a software platform that lives in the cloud to make you more efficient, and to free your creativity.” It can be used to control your 3D printer via smartphone or tablet, using both video streaming (the Waggle hardware device has a built-in camera) and data reports.
The new 3D printer remote control works by mediating between 3D printer and remote via the cloud, where users can also store and share 3D models. A-Team says the Waggle system is fully compatible with Dropbox, Google Drive, and iCloud, while Waggle also provides 250 MB storage on its own servers.
Waggle also comes with its own cloud-based slicing software, though users can choose to use different slicing tools if they prefer.
Best of all, Waggle is designed with total compatibility in mind. Its creators say it will support “most 3D printers running open source firmware right out of the box, and a smaller number with a simple driver upgrade (which we can provide on demand).”
A Kickstarter for Waggle has already raised over $3,700 of its stated $10,000 goal. Backers have been tempted by rewards that include the $65 Early Bird Extended (Waggle, microUSB cable, USB-B cable) and Makerspace Special (5x Waggle, 5x microUSB cable, 5x USB-B cable). The Makerspace Special could be particularly appealing for (obviously) makerspaces, but also for schools and offices where multiple 3D printers are in regular use.
To keep things fun and interesting, A-Team is even planning to create wackily shaped 3D printable stands for Waggle. Will that be enough to convince makers to waggle their cash at this project? The early promise of the Kickstarter campaign suggests it will.
Posted in 3D Printer Accessories
Maybe you also like:
- T-Bone Cape motion control board launches on Indiegogo
- New extruder could lower costs of 3D printing cellular structures for drug testing
- New Ninja Printer Plate for consumer 3D printing
- mUVe3D releases improved Marlin firmware for all 3D printers
- Zecotek plans HD 3D display for 3D printers
- Add a smart LCD controller to your Robo3D printer
- Maker Kase: a handy cabinet for 3D printers
- Heated bed for ABS printing with the Printrbot Simple XL
- Next gen all metal 3D printer extruder from Micron
- Pico all-metal hotend 100% funded in 48 hours, B3 announces Stretch Goal
- Create it REAL announces first 3D printing Real Time Processor
- A larger and more powerful 3D printer extruder on Kickstarter
you mean like FREE Octoprint, or Repetier-Server, or built in 3Dwox.... great idea, apart from the kickstarter, 2 years too late, and the $65 part
3Ders.org provides the latest news about 3D printing technology and 3D printers. We are now seven years old and have around 1.5 million unique visitors per month.
