

Makerbot Digitizer: Desktop 3D scanner goes on sale - martin_
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-23795303

======
gregpilling
Here is an alternative way to scan.
[http://www.david-3d.com/](http://www.david-3d.com/) Software is free to
download, and I bought a Ryobi laser at Home Depot that worked fine ($20).

------
jack-r-abbit
For what it is, I think it is a huge progress that one day will be a big deal.
But too expensive for the average at home hobbyist at the moment.

For those wishing the article linked to the product... here you go.

Product:
[http://store.makerbot.com/digitizer.html](http://store.makerbot.com/digitizer.html)

FAQ: [https://s3.amazonaws.com/downloads-makerbot-
com/digitizer/MB...](https://s3.amazonaws.com/downloads-makerbot-
com/digitizer/MB_DIGITIZER_FAQs_3.pdf) [PDF]

------
ChuckMcM
This is pretty cool, I'm glad that we're starting to see these prices come
down. I've been wondering if something could be put together with either a
kinect or a small pico projector + webcam to do the full structured light sort
of scan without the huge expense. The laser line scanner deals are pretty cool
but if you can vary the light used under computer control you can work around
problems with relative positioning of line/object/camera by changing the
pattern you are projecting.

------
subdane
I love the idea of being able to scan, modify and print. Am I nuts or does
this seem like a steep price to be able to do it?

~~~
stevenrace
If you are so inclined, you can build a similar (if not superior) system for
under $75.

A laser diode that makes a line, a 3.3V power supply, a stepper motor+driver,
a CCD based webcam, and a copy of 'Davids Laser Scanner' [1] (or similar
photometry application).

I've been using this setup for about 3 years now (occasionally using a Kinect
for larger, less precise scans). The scans people have done of insects are
quite amazing. [2,3]

[1] [http://www.david-3d.com/](http://www.david-3d.com/)

[2] [http://www.david-3d.com/gfx/gallery/highlights/01-Real-
size_...](http://www.david-3d.com/gfx/gallery/highlights/01-Real-
size_Wasp_and_Fly_%28by_Bongobat_and_Hal%29.jpg)

[3]
[http://forum.david-3d.com/download/file.php?id=1951&mode=vie...](http://forum.david-3d.com/download/file.php?id=1951&mode=view)

------
andrew_gardener
Now this is exciting stuff! Makes me hopeful that we might reach star trek
level of mass replicators in every room within my lifetime

I wonder how well it actually performs though?

------
iandanforth
Can someone tell us what the relevant metrics are in this space? Capture time?
Accuracy? How is accuracy measured?

~~~
blt
Accuracy is measured in distance - a bound on the maximum distance from any
scanned point to the true surface. Manufacturer accuracy ratings should be
taken with many grains of salt.

Makerbot is claiming +/\- 2mm. In comparison, high-end laser scanners claim
accuracy in the tens of microns, 50-100x better than MakerBot.

12 minutes is a slow capture time for small parts like that.

$1400 is cheaper than any good 3D scanner on the market, by far. The only
competition is a Kinect, which costs much less but doesn't have enough detail
for small parts yet.

~~~
snarfy
Hmm, I wonder if a LeapMotion device could do it. It's more accurate than a
Kinect.

~~~
kitcar
Totally different technology - motion sensing does not = high resolution
object capturing

