Color 3D Scanning with the Kinect Arrives for the Mac! Skanect for Mac #3DThursday #3DPrinting
We have blogged about Skanect before, full-color 3D scanning software for using a Microsoft Kinect, Asus Xtion, and other related sensors, but today brings big news for Mac users!
Recently acquired by Occipital, Skanect thankfully is still in active development and now has a version that has been optimized to run on recent models of Macbook Pro, Macbook Air, Mac Mini, and Mac Pro, a much improved public launch for the Mac alpha versions that some users have been experimenting with for the last few months. Via 3Ders.org:
We are very happy to announce the official release of Skanect 1.5 for Mac OS X Mountain Lion. This new version is optimized to run on recent models of Macbook Pro, Macbook Air, Mac Mini, and Mac Pro.
At this stage all sensors are supported, except Kinect for Windows.
It also includes a number of improvements which will soon be available for Windows too. Here is the full list:
Export UV texture-mapped models (OBJ and PLY formats).
VRML export (suitable to upload colored models to Shapeways).
New export parameters: scale (millimeters, meters or inches) and number of faces.
Improved user interface.
Performance improvement (about 15%) for machines without GPU.
Smoothing level parameter when creating watertight models.
Track loss detection is now optional.
It also includes several bug fixes, including STL export, more robust file management, and more predictable offline reconstruction.
Many thanks to the early adopters of the Mac beta for their feedback!
To download a copy of Skanect for OS X, click here.
Every Thursday is #3dthursday here at Adafruit! The DIY 3D printing community has passion and dedication for making solid objects from digital models. Recently, we have noticed electronics projects integrated with 3D printed enclosures, brackets, and sculptures, so each Thursday we celebrate and highlight these bold pioneers!
Have you considered building a 3D project around an Arduino or other microcontroller? How about printing a bracket to mount your Raspberry Pi to the back of your HD monitor? And don’t forget the countless LED projects that are possible when you are modeling your projects in 3D!
The Adafruit Learning System has dozens of great tools to get you well on your way to creating incredible works of engineering, interactive art, and design with your 3D printer! If you’ve made a cool project that combines 3D printing and electronics, be sure to let us know, and we’ll feature it here!
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Stop breadboarding and soldering – start making immediately! Adafruit’s Circuit Playground is jam-packed with LEDs, sensors, buttons, alligator clip pads and more. Build projects with Circuit Playground in a few minutes with the drag-and-drop MakeCode programming site, learn computer science using the CS Discoveries class on code.org, jump into CircuitPython to learn Python and hardware together, TinyGO, or even use the Arduino IDE. Circuit Playground Express is the newest and best Circuit Playground board, with support for CircuitPython, MakeCode, and Arduino. It has a powerful processor, 10 NeoPixels, mini speaker, InfraRed receive and transmit, two buttons, a switch, 14 alligator clip pads, and lots of sensors: capacitive touch, IR proximity, temperature, light, motion and sound. A whole wide world of electronics and coding is waiting for you, and it fits in the palm of your hand.
Have an amazing project to share? The Electronics Show and Tell is every Wednesday at 7pm ET! To join, head over to YouTube and check out the show’s live chat – we’ll post the link there.
Python for Microcontrollers — Python on Microcontrollers Newsletter: Pi Day, GitHub 2FA and much more! #CircuitPython #Python #micropython @ThePSF @Raspberry_Pi
