Now this is damn cool. Bre Pettis, CEO of Brooklyn-based MakerBot Industries, has created a 3D printer called the Thing-O-Matic that lets you replicate pretty much anything you want. You can liken the device to a 3D fax machine. All you need to do is scan your desired object and load it into the MakerBot Thing-O-Matic 3D Printer. The device will manufacturer (print) a 3D replication of your input made out of ABS, the same material of a Lego. Bre appeared on The Colbert Report last night to show it off.
“This seems to have unbelievable implications,” said Colbert, holding a miniature rendering of his own head. “Right now we rely on the Chinese for our little plastic pieces of crap. Now you don’t have to. Because what’s cheaper than Chinese worker, a robot.”
Don’t have a 3D scanning device to load into your Thing-O-Matic? Not a problem. Makerbot has set up a website called Thingiverse where you can download pre-made designs. The MakerBot Thing-O-Matic is relatively inexpensive for what it does, costing $1,299.00. You can buy one here.
[via: Betabeat]
