It's pretty awesome to think that 3D printing now helps kids create their own toys and with Shapify, it's even possible to print yourself. The extremely realistic figurines are created at home with the aid of a Microsoft Kinect and software from Shapify, or by locating Artec Shapify Booth, where it only takes about 12 seconds to scan your body and clothing, and three to five minutes later, a life-like model is generated. These booths are scattered across the world, although the concentration is heaviest in Europe. In an hour, the ultra fast booths can handle about 10 customers.
In addition to making novel toys for play, the 3D-printed figurines are like being able to capture a moment in 3D form, which makes for great gifts for a range of occasions like graduations and weddings—custom cake toppers, anyone?
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Personalized 3D Printing
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop software and hardware solutions that allow individuals to easily create and print personalized 3D figurines.
- 3D Printing Booths
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Establish 3D printing booths in key locations that offer fast and convenient scanning and printing services for customers.
- 3d-printed Gifts
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create a marketplace or platform that offers a wide range of customizable 3D-printed gifts for various occasions and events.
Where This Applies
- Toy Manufacturing
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Incorporate 3D printing technology into traditional toy manufacturing processes to enable the production of highly personalized and customized toys.
- Event Planning and Decoration
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Provide event planners and decorators with 3D printing services to create unique and custom cake toppers, decorations, and other personalized event elements.
- Retail and E-commerce
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop an online platform or physical store that offers a wide selection of 3D-printed gifts, allowing customers to easily personalize and order items.
