Xbox One News: Kinect Used to Create 3D Models of Users for $60

An enterprising company will allow users to create photorealistic figures of themselves if they have access to the Kinect motion sensor camera found on the Xbox One and Xbox 360 and $60. The printing company Artec Group has developed the Shapify.me service which can create small models of a user that is a scale model of the user's actual height. As the service's website states:

"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."

The way the service works is that users download the software for the PC, and then users connect the Kinect camera to their PC. Users must then stay still for a full minute as the Kinect scan their body and face to create a 3D model of the user. The scan will require the user to hold the same expression and will capture the user from every angle. Once the scan is complete then Shapify.me will construct the tiny model of the user and then ship it for free to the person who purchased it. The model will range from around 2.5 inches to around 4 inches in height, and will imitate any pose that the user has chosen.

In order for this service to work, users must have the Kinect from either the Xbox One or the Kinect made for the Xbox 360. Users will also need Windows 7 or 8 along with an Intel Core 13 or later model with 4GB of RAM for the service to work.
This service is an excellent way to show off the capabilities of the Xbox Kinect and the extra features the motion sensing camera is capable of creating. With so much money and technology invested in the new Xbox One Kinect, many different companies are finding ways to use the camera. For example, NASA is using the Kinect along with the Oculus Rift VR headset to control a robotic arm. This would potentially allow scientists in space to have more direct control over robotic technology without having to deal with unpredictable controls or latency between the controller and the actual object.