There is a lot of technology in your iPhone. Each generation picks up more power and improved optics for photos. We regularly hear about companies that are leveraging that technology to create unique products. One of the latest examples is the eora 3D. A new “highly accurate and affordable” three-dimensional scanner that uses your iPhone or Android device to capture virtual representations of just everyday objects.
After just a few days, eora has raised over $436,000 on Kickstarter, which is good for 5x its initial $80,000 goal. This “precision” 3D scanner uses the internal optics of your smartphone scan every inch, within a micron, of an object. The scanner and device communicate over Bluetooth 4.0. A free iOS and Android app accompany provide tools for viewing and sharing scans.
The scanner itself is capable of capturing a range of one meter (three feet), as well as up to eight million vertices, at a time. A green laser shines out from the tubular stand, eora notes that most scanners use red lasers which are not as sensitive. An optional Bluetooth turntable can be purchased to help make scanning smaller objects easier, but is not required.
Perhaps the most intriguing piece of eora happens within the iOS and Android app. Users can view and manipulate 3D models of objects. It’s much like Apple’s 3D fly-over features within the maps app. All of the typical touch gestures are available to drag, stretch and zoom your scans. The software is capable of exporting all the typical filetypes for use with a 3D printer.
An early bird pledge of $229 will deliver an eora 3D scanner next summer. That’s roughly $100 off the expected final retail price. Bumping up to $289 adds the Bluetooth turntable. By comparison, the 3D scanners available at Amazon start at around $400. The eora’s pricing, coupled with iPhone support, is likely to be an intriguing candidate for consumers.
More New Toys of the Day:
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- Garmin drops the bulk and adds color with its new Forerunner wearables
- Libratone introduces multi-room audio alongside two new colorful ZIPP speakers
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