3D scanning and 3D printing go hand in hand, capturing and creating physical representations through the power of computing. Computers, 3D printers, and 3D scanners are amazing tools, but they are all pretty expensive. As more and more 3D technology is embedded into more powerful generations of smartphones, however, it would be nice to see the prices of smartphone 3D scanners drop. Matter and Form‘s new Kickstarter campaign for their latest 3D scanning product would seem to reflect this trend.
You might remember Matter and Form from such successful crowdfunding campaigns as the Matterform 3D Scanner Indiegogo campaign, which struck two years ago, which raised close to $500,000 for their first 3D scanner model “Matterform 3D Scanner” in 2013. Their latest product, the Bevel 3D scanner, is even smaller, more affordable, and fits right into a smartphone. And, with a price of $49, Bevel is way less expensive than most smartphone scanners, which hover between $400-600.
The Bevel connects to a smartphone through the headphone jack and features a laser line that scans over an object, which helps it read and capture an object’s geometry. Matter and Form created a free app that reads the scans as 3D photographs, allowing users to browse their work. The device is very small at 2/5 inches, and comes with a USB chargeable battery, a universal clip (to fit on any size smartphone). The laser is also safe if hit his your eye, but that doesn’t mean you should do nothing but selfie retina scans.
Their latest Kickstarter campaign just started and they are already half-way to their $200,000 goal. It seems like the demand for a great, inexpensive 3D scanner with an easy-to-use app will be another hit for the company.
As CEO of Matter and Form Drew Cox said, “The technology for this already exists. The problem is that no one is taking the time to make it into a tool that everyone can use”. Seems like a pragmatic observation to me.
