3D Printed Accessories That Fit Your Body and Skin

How well do you know what 3D printing is? And if you know enough, is only theory or you have tried creating anything 3D modelled yourself? Well, for all those who don’t think they are experts and have much to learn, there is some good news coming from a researcher and teacher at the CMU School of Architecture and PhD candidate in Computational Design - Madeline Gannon.

The young scientist believes that no matter how fast the technology is advancing, and no matter how affordable 3D printers have become, there is still a barrier between common users and 3D printers and maybe this is due to their lack of knowledge of creating 3D models themselves.

That’s why Madeline decided to create software that can help the ordinary, common technological user and potential 3D printer owner. Her innovative software called Tactum makes it possible for anyone to learn and easily create unique 3D designs that can be then 3D printed using one’s 3D printer.

What’s easier about this software compared to other user-friendly apps is that it’s more responsive because one can use his hand gestures and thus can poke, rub and manipulate in any other way the image of the future 3D printed artifact.

Madeline wanted to show all users how simple it can be to design 3D objects and that’s why she designed the first series of Tactum objects on a surface that is accessible by anyone freely and where all users can manipulate by instinct - the human body.

Thus, the young researcher aimed to bring the digital out to the physical world and out onto our bodies and, in a way, to make 3D printing, modelling and digital technology closer to our human senses. You can also see how the software works here.

The first designs are fashionable bracelets and collars and with the partnership of Reverb all designs are being translated into printable meshes - a gallery of incredible and unique user designs with smooth landscapes and intricate geometric textures.

However, fashion was not the goal of Madeline and Tactum is actually a very functional software tool. The future of Tactum as its creator sees it is to be used for customization of prosthetics and other wearable medical devices and tools.

Madeline thinks doctors and patients can collaborate and working with Tactum together in real time they can follow how the treatment is going and how well the prosthetics fit or how the body accepts the device. Anything can be adjusted more easily using 3D modelling and 3D printing and the chance for mistakes is smaller. Tactum can make all these devices cheaper, they can be made faster, but what’s more important - they can be better.