July 2, 2013
Windows 8.1 will be first OS to have native 3D printing, it will be as simple as hitting Print
by Shayne RanaWhile the technicalities for 3D printing aren’t simple enough for just everyone without some arts degree, CAD or other relevant knowledge of 3D forms, there’s still the possibility that the future might just simplify this process. With 3D technology expansion moving into high gear it won’t be too long before one could have a 3D printer at home. According to Microsoft’s recent announcement, 3D printing support will be part of Windows 8.1 OS by default. This applies to both tablets and desktops. Shanen Boettcher, general manager at Microsoft’s Startup Business Group is reported to have said – “Our thinking was, let’s make this as easy as writing and printing a Word document,”
As of now the whole 3D printing scenario isn’t exactly fool proof and takes time, skill and, like I said, a decent amount of software skills as well. Microsoft’s whole ideology is to make the process just as simple as it would be to print on a sheet of paper. The company has been working together with hardware vendors like MakerBot, 3D Systems, and Autodesk to try and create APIs for any developer to design and print and 3D forms. They would able to do so as easily on a tablet device as they would on a desktop. The idea is to have a new software to easily facilitate 3D printing without too much of technical know how.
The possibilities are endless. Customising your home, science projects for kids, monogrammed details for events etc. could be simple and easy tasks for just about anyone. It’s a step in the right direction for this technology as it’s slowly but surely working its way into our home.
[Via – Fastcodesign]