Leonar3Do offers an easy design program for your 3D printer (photos)
So you're interested in 3D printing, but how would you go about creating things to print? Leonar3Do offers a complete package that's supposed to get you up and sculpting 3D projects in around 20 minutes.
To use Leonar3Do's 3D mouse, you move it around through the air--it has several simple buttons that you use to control the mouse's functions as you interact with the object you're creating.
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To view the object you're sculpting in 3D, you need 3D glasses, which are included in the complete set.
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The inventor claims that the learning curve for use of the mouse is relatively short--according to university trials, the average user needs about 20 minutes to get up and running with the Leonar3Do program.
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The Leonar3Do package retails for about $1,350 and includes everything you see here.
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You can push and prod your virtual clay ball until it resembles the character you've got in mind.
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You can start with any number of shapes; here we see the sphere.
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This fellow is playing with a skull-shaped work in progress.
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We may start seeing a lot of characters designed in Leonar3Do if this product takes off.
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Once you've finalized a piece it can be printed--provided you have a makerbot or other 3D printer. These are examples of work done using Leonar3Do.
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As you can imagine, gaming applications are another area of use.