News: Print a 3D Model of Your Face Using Your iPhone

There are plenty of cutting edge apps out there, and endless innovations in the field of 3D printing. But to combine the two—and make it available to the common consumer—is unprecedented.

Earlier this year, Georgia Tech researcher Grant Schindler created the world's first 3D scanner for the iPhone. Available for a mere 99¢ at the iTunes store, the Trimensional app uses the phone's screen and front-facing camera—as well as projected light from four different directions—to generate a a 3D model of the subject's face. Once the model is generated, the app exports a printable STL file via email. Voilà, ready to print—that is, as long as you have access to a 3D printer.

No way you can get your hands on a 3D printer? Then try the 3D graphic option. To create a 3D file that can be imported into software programs such as Blender, Maya, and more, simply snap a photo and manipulate. When you're finished, you can export your texture-mapped OBJ file via email. Note, Trimensional says they will even "smooth the geometry of your scan before export to eliminate any scanning artifacts".