3D Printed Baby Belly

There are countless ways to use 3D scanning and 3D printing on their own.  For example, 3D printing can be used to make mechanical prototypes (and even production parts) and 3D scanning can be used for quality inspection, historical preservation, and generating CAD models that match hand made parts, among other uses.

It is when 3D scanning and 3D printing are used in combination that things get really interesting to me.  This 3D printed baby belly is a personal example of how 3D scanning and 3D printing can be used together to create something pretty unique.  

3D Printed Baby Belly Made From 3D Scan Data

A couple days before my wife gave birth, I 3D scanned her belly (of course I would). After my daughter was born, I designed a baby belly bowl from the 3D scans of my wife's belly and we took some photos of my daughter in the belly bowl.

I documented the process of 3D printing and assembling the belly bowl with photos and time lapses.  I had also been taking a picture every week of my wife's belly as it grew throughout pregnancy. I used those images to create a time-lapse of her belly growing.

I put the whole thing together in a video that is pretty neat, check it out below:

TEDx Emory - Computer Assisted Craftsmanship

3D printing and 3D scanning technologies give everyone all the tools they need to build almost anythinng, I believe this will triger a shift in the way goods and services are deliverd, I call this shift Computer Assisted Craftsmanship.   In the video I provide a live demo of computer assisted craftsmanship, from a 3D scan of an ear to 3D printed custom fitting headphones.  What used to take weeks can now be done on stage in less than 20 mins using 3D scanners and 3D printers.

United Sciences Unveils 3D Digital Ear Scanning Solution at CES 2015

3D Scanning Ears at CES 2015 - 3D Printing Custom HeadphonesWe (United Sciences) showed off our 3D ear scanning solution at CES this year.  We scanned several hundred people and 3D printed headphones for them on the spot.  The 3D scan of the ear takes less than 5 minutes and the 3D print takes 20-30mins.  We were demonstrating how it was possible to go from a 3D scan of your ear to a custom fit headphone in under an hour.  Something we feel can be done at a retail locations.  

Check out some of the press coverage we received:

Wall Street Journal

Mashable

3DPrint

3D Ear Scanning & 3D Printing Headphones in Under an Hour

Here is a video demonstrating our 3D scanning solution.  We'll be at CES this year showing it off!

GN Store Nord Licenses Technology for Hearing Aid Use

GN Store Nord, the parent company of Otometrics, Belltone, and GN Resond, has obtained a license for United Sciences' ear scanning technology.  Check out Hearing Review's coverage here: http://www.hearingreview.com/2012/11/gn-store-nord-invests-12-million-in-ear-scanning-company/