In the Future, You Will 3D Print Yourself as an Action Figure

This headline is somewhat misleading, since it is actually already true in the present—for a few lucky Japanese people—that you can have a 3D-printed miniature version of yourself. A Tokyo-based company called Omote 3D will soon debut their next-level photo booth at a pop-up shop Harajuku, one of the world’s most fertile seeding grounds for new style trends.

Those lucky enough to book a reservation will be asked to stand still for 15 minutes while a photographer scans their body all the way around. They will then get to select one of three sizes for the tiny, full-color replica. I’m already seeing these on top of wedding cakes a few years down the line. At least the high-budget variety—a 4-inch replica of a couple costs $528 US dollars.

Sarah C. Rich | | READ MORE

Sarah Rich is a writer and digital media consultant who previously contributed to Smithsonian.com's Design Decoded blog. She co-founded Longshot magazine and is the co-curator of the Foodprint Project.