Articles about 3D

The Blender Foundation has unveiled its next major release with the launch of Blender 4.0, its renowned open-source, cross-platform 3D creation suite.

Highlights include more realistic shading effects, the ability to control the effect of lighting sources on specific objects in images and support for running Geometry Nodes without having Python installed.

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The transition to PCIe Gen4 is in full effect, with more and more computers and motherboards having the new standard. Whether or not the user truly needs the benefits of PCIe 4.0 is debatable, but it is still cool regardless. After all, it is important to continually push boundaries.

One of the best aspects of PCIe 4.0 is faster solid state drives. For instance, today, Micron unveils the latest such SSD from Crucial. Called "P5 Plus," the PCIe Gen4 M.2 SSD is insanely fast. The drive features 6600MB/s read speed across all capacities. The 1TB and 2TB capacities offer 5000MB/s write speed, while the 500GB variant offers 3000MB/s.

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Blender is one of the most important open source projects, as the 3D graphics application suite is used by countless people at home, for business, and in education. The software can be used on many platforms, such as Windows, Mac, and of course, Linux.

Today, Ubuntu-maker Canonical announces it will offer paid enterprise support for Blender LTS. How cool is that? Surprisingly, this support will not only be for Ubuntu users. Heck, it isn't even limited to Linux installations. Actually, Canonical will offer this support to Blender LTS users on Windows, Mac, and Linux. Wow!

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Whenever I call Microsoft an open source champion or leader, the Linux fanboys come out in droves to tell me I am wrong. Unfortunately for them, I am extremely correct on the subject. Look, I get it, Microsoft was hostile towards both the open source and Linux communities years ago, but things change. The Windows-maker contributes to countless open source projects while also providing Linux programs, such as Procman. It is time for the open source and Linux communities to soften their stance on the company -- Microsoft is not your enemy!

Today, Microsoft proves once again that it is a friend of the open source community. You see, the storied company has become a Corporate Gold member of the Blender Development Fund. What does that mean? Essentially, Microsoft has handed over some of its money to help the development of popular open source program Blender -- free software for 3D creators.

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HP has looked to breathe new life into the 3D printing industry with the announcement of a new metal printing platform.

Announcing the news, HP's president of 3DP business, Stephen Nigro, called the launch a "major step for HP 3D printing aspiration."

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3D printing is one of those technologies that’s been hovering on the edge of public consciousness for a few years without ever hitting the mainstream.

But as the technology has matured and the machines become cheaper, 3D printing is set to affect all of us. UK electronics supplier RS Components has put together an infographic showing how 3D printing will develop over the next few decades.

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As part of its new "3D for Everyone" strategy, Microsoft has announced that it will acquire the 3D optimization vendor Simplygon.

The company's corporate vice president of Next Gen Experiences Kudo Tsunoda revealed the acquisition intended to help boost its own 3D efforts. The Swedish company Simplygon will play a large role in allowing Microsoft to simplify the process of allowing its users to capture, create and share in 3D.

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Google is a significant contributor to the open source community. This is notable, as the company is wildly successful and its products are used by many. It incorporates open source code in its offerings, and then contributes back too. The search giant's visibility lends credibility to open source ideology.

Today, Google announces yet another open source project. Called "Draco," it is a compression library designed for 3D graphics. The project can dramatically reduce the size of 3D graphic files without significant visual impact to the person viewing.

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When you think of the Raspberry Pi and other SoC-style boards, one word likely comes to mind -- Linux. Yeah, Linus Torvalds' adaptable kernel does scale well to these diminutive computers, but don't forget about trusty ol' Microsoft. Its Windows 10 IoT operating system can also work some magic on the Pi and others. While lesser known and used in this space, this special version of Windows certainly has a future.

Now, Microsoft is focusing on "makers" with a new app for Windows 10 IoT. You see, the app will run on a board such as the Raspberry Pi, enabling networked 3D printing. Essentially, it is turning your board into a 3D printer server -- very cool! Believe it or not, many popular such printers are already compatible. So what are you waiting for? Will you give it a go?

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Most people may not know this, but Intel is no stranger to the smartphone world. It develops mobile processors that power a wide range of Android devices, like ASUS' ZenFone 2 line. But the company is not stopping there as at CES 2016, it just unveiled a smartphone equipped with a RealSense camera.

Virtually every smartphone has cameras on the front and rear, so what makes Intel's device special? Well, the RealSense camera allows the handset to recognize 3D objects and gestures, similar to Microsoft's Kinect.

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Microsoft has been really busy lately, and now it has shown one of the things it has been working on -- a 3D scanner inside a regular smartphone.

The app, called MobileFusion, turns your average smartphone camera into a high-tech 3D scanner, allowing you to scan objects and turn them into 3D models for viewing, sharing and 3D printing, right in front of your very eyes.

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A San Francisco-based firm has become the first company to create a 3D printed supercar, which can go from zero to 60 miles per hour in 2.2 seconds.

The Blade, created by Divergent Microfactories, was developed using a series of chassis parts held together by carbon rods, instead of coming out as a single unit, and was put together like a Lego set.

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Here is the craziest news of the day: robots will build a bridge over a canal in Amsterdam by 3D printing it in mid-air.

They will need no supporting structures. Dutch 3D printing R&D start-up MX3D has invented a 3D printing technique whereby multi-axis industrial robots are able to print strong, complex structures anywhere without needing a print bed, IB Times writes in a report.

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It may not have made major headlines, but earlier this month a story broke that demonstrates how 3D printing is making a huge impact in the medical industry. A sea turtle that had been injured colliding with a motor boat had its beak replaced with a 3D printed prosthetic. Providing the part is not rejected, the turtle could even be allowed to return to the sea.

However, 3D printing has potential health benefits to humans too, many of which we are currently discovering. Earlier this month, for example, cosmetics firm L’Oreal announced a partnership with Organovo to 3D print human skin. Although the collaboration is for use in the beauty industry, the overlaps of biology and 3D printing could provide benefits for burns victims and those suffering from skin conditions.

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3D movies might not be as popular (or ubiquitous) as they were a few years ago, but people still enjoy viewing media with a degree of depth. The massive success of the Nintendo 3DS is testament to this.

If you own an Apple iPhone, and want to view images or video in 3D (without having to wear special glasses), you now can thanks to EyeFly3D Nanoglass. This is a screen protector that you attach to your iPhone and which delivers a convincing 3D effect.

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