3D Printing

Twinkind 3D photo booth scans your entire body in the blink of an eye

Twinkind 3D photo booth scans your entire body in the blink of an eye
Twinkind's 3D scanning process is as quick and painless as having your photo taken
Twinkind's 3D scanning process is as quick and painless as having your photo taken
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Twinkind's software automatically generates geometry from the photographs of you taken at different angles
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Twinkind's software automatically generates geometry from the photographs of you taken at different angles
The generated model data is highly detailed, capturing wrinkles in cloth
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The generated model data is highly detailed, capturing wrinkles in cloth
Color information from the photographs is converted into a texture map that is seamlessly applied to the geometry
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Color information from the photographs is converted into a texture map that is seamlessly applied to the geometry
The 3D-printed scan data accurately reflects the detail and color of the photographs
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The 3D-printed scan data accurately reflects the detail and color of the photographs
Twinkind offers prints in seven sizes, because the cost of 3D printing is dependent on volume
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Twinkind offers prints in seven sizes, because the cost of 3D printing is dependent on volume
Strike a pose! A woman's 3D-printed miniature stands on floorboards
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Strike a pose! A woman's 3D-printed miniature stands on floorboards
Your 3D-printed figure can come with or without a base – one is seen here standing on a matchbox for scale
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Your 3D-printed figure can come with or without a base – one is seen here standing on a matchbox for scale
The 3D scanning process is completed as quickly as having your photo taken
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The 3D scanning process is completed as quickly as having your photo taken
The 3D color printer laser-sinters a powdery substance to form the miniatures
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The 3D color printer laser-sinters a powdery substance to form the miniatures
Twinkind's 3D scans capture you and your loved ones in a moment in time
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Twinkind's 3D scans capture you and your loved ones in a moment in time
Twinkinds prints are offered in sizes between 15 and 35 cm (6 to 13.7 in)
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Twinkinds prints are offered in sizes between 15 and 35 cm (6 to 13.7 in)
The 3D scanning process prohibits semi-translucent or shiny clothing for the best results
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The 3D scanning process prohibits semi-translucent or shiny clothing for the best results
Most any pose is possible, but small details like a pointed finger could break off
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Most any pose is possible, but small details like a pointed finger could break off
The 3D prints are sprayed with a sealant to prolong their life
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The 3D prints are sprayed with a sealant to prolong their life
Doll collectors will likely go nuts for the service, which would allow them to populate their houses and dioramas with people they know
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Doll collectors will likely go nuts for the service, which would allow them to populate their houses and dioramas with people they know
A turn-around of a figure shows the level of detail obtainable by Twinkind's scanning process
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A turn-around of a figure shows the level of detail obtainable by Twinkind's scanning process
You may choose to display your miniature in a glass box
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You may choose to display your miniature in a glass box
A statuette of a flight attendant in a hangar bay?
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A statuette of a flight attendant in a hangar bay?
Capture a moment in time in full three dimensions
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Capture a moment in time in full three dimensions
Twinkind's 3D-printed portraits make for sentimental keepsakes
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Twinkind's 3D-printed portraits make for sentimental keepsakes
Twinkind's 3D scanning process is as quick and painless as having your photo taken
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Twinkind's 3D scanning process is as quick and painless as having your photo taken
View gallery - 21 images

Now that you can be scanned and 3D-printed in miniature form, two-dimensional portraits seem so last century. Of course, this novelty is way more expensive than a photograph, but now a company called Twinkind located in Hamburg, Germany is offering a 3D portrait service where the lengthy scanning process has been made as quick and painless as having a photo taken. You can even scan your pets, as they don't need to stay still for 20 minutes at a time!

Like a traditional photography studio, you simply stand inside Twinkind's proprietary photogrammetry 3D scanner, similar to the multi-camera set-up used to create the bullet-time effect in the Matrix films. Essentially a ring of cameras simultaneously snap photos of you from different angles, and then software analyzes the photos and automatically generates 3D geometry.

The process has a few limitations, such as the fact that you can't wear semi-transparent or shiny clothes, as they tend to mess up the software. Additionally, very small details like a pointed finger may break during the printing process or soon afterwards. The cool part is that the color and patterns from the photos is mapped to the digital you, and voila – your Mini Me is ready for printing in about 30 minutes. At this point you're free to go, as the whole process will take between two to five weeks.

Full-color 3D printing is still an expensive process, and the price is dependent on the size of the print. Twinkind is offering seven different size options, from 15 cm (6 in) to 35 cm (13.7 in), which range in price from €225 (US$290) to €1,290 ($1,680) which is in line with similar services. It's pretty steep even on the low end, but then, where else are you going to buy a photorealistic miniature of yourself?

The 3D color printer laser-sinters a powdery substance to form the miniatures
The 3D color printer laser-sinters a powdery substance to form the miniatures

As for the printed figures, the quality is pretty good (see the photo gallery). The prints are made from a composite powder material that is laser-sintered layer by layer, giving it a clay-like surface. The resulting prints are less durable than plastic, so the company says you need to be careful about heating them over 60°C (140°F), getting them wet, or placing them in direct sunlight (as the colors can fade).

There have been a handful of 3D printing photo booths opening up around the world, but they require that you strike a pose and remain perfectly still for upwards of 20 minutes during the scanning process. Others, like the Makerbot 3D photo booth, only scan you from the neck up and only from the front. That leaves you with an incomplete bust, and while it's significantly cheaper, the print is done in monochromatic ABS plastic, making the details hard to sort out.

Is it creepy to want little figurines of yourself and loved ones if you don't intend to play with them?

Source: Twinkind via The Cool Hunter

View gallery - 21 images
4 comments
4 comments
Daishi
With what airport scanners cost I always thought that when I am done the TSA should give me some kind of QR code or something that I can use to pull up a 3D model of myself that I could use to shop for clothing online and see how it would fit me.
Paul van Dinther
Shallow article. Light on details. At a guess I imagine these guys build a well lit photo booth with a large number of cameras surrounding the subject simultaneously taking a picture. Photogrametry software can produce the 3D model.
Small items such as pointing fingers are also more likely misinterpreted by the software as well as transparent clothing.
Sam Sams
Getting there... all I need is the 3d model to be a 3d printed robot, some kind of personality scanner, and the "replicate" button to be eternally stuck in the go position. World conquest is in sight...
Nairda
OR
Since we're talking booths, why not have a single fixed video camera, and place people on a rotating disc. Software then takes the 30fps video for the 5 seconds it takes for the disc to do one complete revolution, ie - 150 images, and make a 3D image. Save yourself 149 cameras.
OR !!
If you don't like spinning people, tape a GoPro video camera to an appropriately counter-weighted ceiling fan, and follow the same process.