This week we got to work with both the 3D scanners using iSense and MeshMixer to reshape the people that were scanned. I didn’t necessarily work with the scanners too much during this past class session because I was already familiar with them after manning the scanning station at the 3D Printing Expo we held in the atrium a few weeks ago. Because of this, I let other people learn how to use the scanners, too. I had not used MeshMixer, though, when I was working the station. And that was certainly helpful to learn about this past class session. Since we had been doing scans of people’s bodies, MeshMixer allows for us to reshape rough edges that were picked up by the scanner. MeshMixer would allow for us to actually give depth to people’s eyes as well as smooth out the rough parts of where the scan came together on the back of someone’s head. Just basic things to clean up the overall image.

I found this software very useful for future scanning. I once received a 3D printed version of myself during a 3D printing expo held in BIF and just remember it looked like a very pixelated version of me. As if I was being carved into Mount Rushmore. With MeshMixer I can actually smooth out rough edges like my ears, nose, and stray hairs that the scanner picked up. MeshMixer simply allows us to create more accurate versions of our scans or do something completely crazy like combine body parts of different animals. Still not sure why that was a necessary feature someone thought to throw in there, but it definitely showcases MeshMixer’s capabilities.

For the future, I think scanning and 3D printing go hand-in-hand. That objects we’d like to re-create can be easily duplicated by scanning them and cleaning up the image in MeshMixer. The software may even become obsolete if scanners become more developed and increase their accuracy.