For a while now, I have been saying that 3D photo booths are going to be a thing of the future, the evolution of the traditional photo booth. Why go to a boring old photo booth, when you can have a hi-res 3D model of yourself? From weddings, to corporate events, to bar mitzvahs, 3D photo booths are perfect for a wide variety of applications and are a great way to introduce people to the diversity and wonder of 3D technologies. While 3D photo booths are not new, Germany’s The DOOB GROUP is looking to expand the reach of this technology by building partnerships through licensing and franchising opportunities.
In October, THE DOOB GROUP will be presenting at Euromold, the world’s largest convention dedicated to tool making, mold making, and 3D printing. There, they will be showcasing their state of the art 3D photo booth, The DOOBLICATOR, as well as introducing a new licensing and franchising model. The DOOBLICATOR is a monster of a 3D portrait booth. It is a full-body, contact-less, 3D scanning enclosure containing 54 Canon EOS Rebel t5i cameras. With these, the DOOBLICATOR is capable of producing a high-res, photorealistic scan in a fraction of a second. Once a scan is processed, a full-color, high-resolution figurine can be 3D printed on such full-color machines as the ProJet 660 Pro. So far, the results have been spectacular, with the DOOBLICRTOR proving its capabilities at concerts, sporting events, and even the clothing store Uniqlo.
Currently, The DOOBLICATOR is being operated by affiliates around the world, including in New York and Tokyo. By offering franchise and licensing opportunities, THE DOOB GROUP is looking to take control of a market that is ripe for the taking. At the moment, Artec is among the few companies with any significant number of 3D photo booths on the market, with over 20 of their Shapify booths operating around the United States and Europe.
As a product, the DOOBLICATOR has at least one advantage over the Shapify booth, which uses four Artec 3D scanners that move around a stationary object or person. Overall the scan takes about 12 seconds to complete. While this improves the end result of the model, this also increases the chances of inaccuracy as a person would need to be completely still for the 12 seconds. By using 54 cameras surrounding a person or object, the DOOBLICATOR can capture every detail in a fraction of a second, even with a moving subject like a pet or a child. Whether those scans can compete with those of their competitors remains to be seen, but Euromold attendees will have a chance to see for themselves next week, from September 22-25th in Düsseldorf, Germany.
