3D printers have been used for some strange things, but the strangest has come from Japan. Back in July, we reported on a Japanese company that would recreate a fetus via 3D printing. It was a little strange, but there’s probably a market for it among mothers. Now Japan is back with another crazy 3D printer business, but it’s decidedly less creepy.
Omote 3D, a pop-up store in Tokyo’s Harajuku district, is now creating portraits of customers via a 3D printer. The store’s staff scans a person 3D image into a computer, and prints out a fairly detailed miniature of the person. The figures can be anywhere between four to eight inches in height, and would be a great holiday gift for the narcissist in your family.
Here’s some of the figures the store has made based on scans from real people:
This isn’t the first time that somebody has thought to create portraits with 3D printers. A company called BumpyPhoto creates 3D printed portraits based upon existing photos. Of course, BumpyPhoto’s creations aren’t as impressive because they have to deal with inferior source materials.
The only problem that both services face is the cost. 3D printing doesn’t come cheap, and those wanting 3D models of themselves will have to pay a premium price for it. Omote 3D offers discounts on parties of three or more, but it’s still relatively expensive. A single 10cm figurine of one person will set you back 21,000 yen, or $262 USD.
If you don’t mind paying that kind of money for a 3D printed model of yourself, you’ll have to act fast. Omote 3D will only be open for a limited time. The store opens on November 24 and will close on January 14 of next year. If it proves popular, it may just stay open longer.
[h/t: Laughing Squid]