Is 3D scanning the dark horse?

While the 3D printing industry experienced heightened interest from 2011 to early 2013, when everyone thought they would have a 3D printer at home and print out customized objects, in 2017 it still hasn’t quite turned out that way.
 
However, even though the 3D scanner has not been the talk of the town yet, the technology is quietly galloping along and gaining momentum among professionals.​

​Interest in 3D Printers (red) vs. interest in 3D Scanners (blue) since 2004 on Google Trends

Today, professionals and university researchers in various fields – ranging from Archaeology, Architecture and Reverse Engineering, to Education, and Biomedical Science – are using 3D scanning in exciting and innovative ways.  
 
Take Digital Humanities for example. Courses at universities which utilize digital technologies for humanities subjects, such as History and Archaeology, at Middlebury College in Vermont are using DAVID SLS-3 3D scanners to make new discoveries and extend creativity.
 
The digitization of artifacts through 3D scanning is enabling researchers to accurately measure these precious and delicate items, as well as analyze the objects in more detail by being able to study and digitally compare the resulting 3D scanned files.
 
At Eastern Washington University in Washington, big data analytics is being applied to 3D scanned files as well, through combining and cross-analyzing 3D scanned files with other digital results, such as topography data, to help archaeologists pinpoint exactly what period the artifact was created in.
 
Combining different digital data is widely applied in the Biomedical field as well. At Columbia University in New York, range of data findings are being overlaid onto the surface data from human body parts to visualize symptoms better in 3D.
 
Another benefit of digitization is the dramatic ease of sharing knowledge, as we already experience with the web. But what is different with 3D scanning data is that it enables new ways of interacting with objects digitally that you could never have done physically, be it through a digital touch display, augmented reality or virtual reality. There is no limit to the digital interaction possibilities.
 
3D scanning is now cantering towards a wider market as mainstream technology companies, such as HP, adopt 3D scanning technology into their product lines.
 
Universities, medical study groups and engineering firms have been using 3D scanning solutions to pave the way for advancement in their respective industries and are taking 3D precision scanning to jump to the next level.
 
3D scanning is an enabler to so many applications but is rather quietly doing its work so you may be surprised how important it is when the whole virtual world goes 3D. At Growshapes we can’t wait so watch this space.
 
 
Growshapes is a certified reseller of DAVID 3D/HP 3D scanning solutions and an HP Silver Partner – an endorsement that makes us proud.
 
See the innovators on Growshapes’ social media channels to get the latest expert news on innovation in 3D digitization, then share your thoughts and join the conversation about 3D digital innovation with #digitize3D
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You can also find out the top 3 things you should know about the future of 3D digitization on this link.