New technologies spring up all the time, and usually the inventor(s) have only a general idea of what the technology can be used for. When Steve Jobs invented the I-Pod, I think he only had portable music in mind. The world of 'podcasts' came later. When cars were first invented I don't think guys like Henry Ford and Gottlieb Daimler envisioned demolition derbies and when the first guy credited with inventing refrigeration (Oliver Evans) started tinkering I don't think he had TV dinners in mind, or any idea of how necessary an appliance refrigerators were going to become for every person on earth, except for those crazy 'Survivor' people who fly out into the wilderness somewhere to experience what life was like before I-Pods, cars, and refrigerators.
In that sort of vein, the guy or team that developed 3D printers probably wasn't envisoning all the uses that the technology could be used for. I'm pretty sure they weren't thinking about making 3D guns! I think the original uses envisioned for 3D printing was that the devices could create prototype machine tools and anatomical models for reconstructive surgery, but then along came some guy from the art world. "Ah" he thought, "I can make human figurines!"
Dedicated to the glory that is me
Ewan Harvey- Unsplash.com
So, surprise surprise. I'm taken aback a couple of days ago when, walking down the street, I see in a shop window 3D figurines of people. Not FAMOUS people, but ordinary people. These figurines weren't big, maybe varying in size from three to seven inches tall. And not only that, I KNEW one of the people. The art studio had created a 3D figurine of a local security guard.
I stared and stared. It was a fairly good likeness. The printer had captured the woman's white security guard shirt, her blue security guard pants, her belt, the little patches on her shirt, and even her badge.
OMG I could see this technology rapidly spreading..... Instead of having a picture of your family on your desk, you could have them standing there! Gramps and gramma too! Even Fluffy!
All you have to do is go to a place where they make these things and stand still in a booth for 3-4 seconds while an array of cameras scans you (or you holding your very still pet) from every angle. After that you can 'edit' your image (who WOULDN'T make themselves thinner?) by tweaking your clothes and your hair. Girlfriends would send boyfriends models of themselves. Imagine getting a figurine of your boss! Or models of Mom and Dad, for your desk at school! One of Reverend Ron! The salesman at the insurance company! The CEO of your company! The local little league team! A group of ALL of your cousins! The possibilities are endless.
Thankfully, so far this technology isn't cheap. A 7" tall replica of Aunt Millie costs about $330 and takes about 12-15 days to make, according to the website I perused. I should also mention that these figurines are in COLOR. I saw where a guy's plaid shirt was accurately represented, collar and all. So there is a lot of detail possible. But as of yet, these scanners can't reproduce eyeglasses or earrings so you have to take those off before getting scanned. Dresses have to either nearly touch the floor or be at least 12" above the ground. This is because there is a limit to the strength of the 3D material.
These figurines are just a little bit freaky far as I'm concerned. I don't expect to see a lifelike version of a local character anywhere, EVER. And then I spot a statue of them, on a shelf! What a "Whoa!" moment that can be.
And then, as with all technology, the price will drop and these things will be made full size, and then even bigger than full size. If they're cheap enough, you could have statues in your backyard! Populate rooms with them! Oh man, I don't know if I like where this is going.....
There could be art galleries, solely composed of 3D people- modern day wax museums. People could document their kids' growing up years, and have 3D models of them at different ages. There would be 3D movie extras.
How about having a 3D image of yourself? Not only would that be like looking into a mirror, you could also see what you look like at any angle. That would be a great aid for me, from an artist's perspective, but it would also be disturbing because I get freaked out by dolls, and places that have rooms full of dolls or mannequins.
Ok, I gotta run, I've mined this topic enough. But before I go, how about 3D figurines of you and your partner on your wedding day, a precious moment captured and on display forever?
That's not coming, folks, it's already HERE.