3-D Printed Selfies Combine the Two Trends of the Year

If you’re tired of hearing about selfies or 3D printing, this is not the story for you. Because it involves both. A new company is letting users take full body scans of themselves using the Microsoft Kinect, and order tiny 3D printed selfies.

Here’s how it works:

If you’re wondering: why do I need this? The company, Shapify.me, has actually answered that question in the FAQ section of their website. They write:

Shapify.me is a cutting-edge technology developed by Artec Group and the easiest for you to scan yourself at home and get a 3D print of your figurine. It is a simple, friendly and unique service that brings 3D scanning and 3D printing to your living room! No special skills or training are required to use Shapify.me.

In Japan, you could have gone to the 3D printing photo booth for something like this. But now you can make your own selfies from the comfort of your home. So for those of you who have always wanted to prove your technology chops while also indulging in your own vanity, this is the perfect project.

More from Smithsonian.com:

For Blind Moms, 3-D Prints of Fetuses Stand In for Sonogram Images

3D Printers Are Building the Future, One Part at a Time

Rose Eveleth | | READ MORE

Rose Eveleth was a writer for Smart News and a producer/designer/ science writer/ animator based in Brooklyn. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Scientific American, Story Collider, TED-Ed and OnEarth.