Even though this 3D scanner is targeted at the consumer market, specifically for 3D Systems Cube^® and CubeX™ 3D printers, it’s a nice design in scanners, and perhaps an indication of where the scanner industry is going. Known as the Sense 3D Scanner, 3D Systems says it will deliver precise instant physical photography.

It has a flexible scan size and can capture everything from a picture-perfect cupcake to a full-body selfie, processing data quickly for an instantly 3D printable file. Sense comes with an intuitive user interface with easy and automated zoom, track, focus, crop, enhance and share tools. Sense printables can be sent to the Cube^® and CubeX™ 3D printers, or directly uploaded to Cubify.com for cloud printing in a range of materials, including Ceramix, Aluminix and Clear.

It is priced at $399 and available on Cubify.com. The Sense will also be available on Staples.com and in Staples retail stores nationwide starting November 18, 2013.

Product Features:

• Hand-held mobility  to scan spontaneously, anywhere. The Sense is mobile scanning compatible with the Microsoft Surface™ Pro 2 tablet.

• Scan small, scan large, scan it all: Sense small and large objects, people and scenes. The Sense has a diverse scan with auto-optimized settings for small and large objects like a book or a motorcycle, heads to full bodies and scenes as larges as 10 feet tall and wide.

• Automatic object recognition extracts precise targets from the busiest of backgrounds, scanning only the object you want.

• Edit confidently: Sense software is intuitive, fast, accurate and easy to use. Scans process in seconds and can be cropped, enhanced and solidified for printables in just minutes. No design experience is necessary.

• Mash-up your world: merge your scans in Cubify Sculpt™, the consumer software for editing STLs, mash-ups and organic modeling.  Full integration between the Sense and Cubify Sculpt gives you the creative freedom to import your scans and combine them with other favorite designs.

• Physical to digital and back again: Sense is integrated with Cubify.com and your Cube 3D printer. Scans can be uploaded directly for cloud printing with a variety of materials on Cubify.com, or sent directly to your 3D printer.

Sense is powered by 3DS’ proprietary Geomagic^® software. Noted Rajeev Kulkarni, Vice President and General Manager, Consumer Products, 3D Systems, “The Sense is the first ever 3D content camera for everyone, making it possible to capture people, objects and places on the go.” Kulkarni goes on to say that this device “will spur a new social movement around 3D sharable and printable physical photography.”

I’m not sure how desirable a development that will be, but the scanner looks like one of the better consumer style scanners available for consumer type 3D printers.

Leslie Langnau
llangnau@wtwhmedia.com