Technological evolution is not always good but seldom undesirable. In the midst of positive and negative consequences of any form of evolution lies the domain of usefulness and futility. 3Doodler is undoubtedly a great step forward in the world of 3D printing. But is it a step that has no useful consequences or would it add a new paradigm?
3Doodler is essentially a pen that is packed with 3D printing technology. In comparison with 3D printers which are quite large and expensive, noisy and expansive, the 3Doodler is small, lightweight, easy to use, and much less expensive. The noise is also much less than the larger cousins. Relatively a small capsule, 3Doodler contains all that is good about 3D printing but without certain features that make 3D printing so wonderful.
The 3Doodler can create any design or form with heated plastic in thin air. All one has to do is start the device and the heated plastic would start to ooze out. One can move the hand holding the 3Doodler in any pattern, shape, design or arbitrarily to form anything one wants. From creating an Eiffel Tower to writing a sweet message for someone on their birthday, anything is possible with 3Doodler. The heated plastic would solidify moments after being released from the pen, thus forming a shape instantly. The 3Doodler can also be used to fix certain toys made of plastic because the heated plastic can be used for welding such materials. From painting on a wooden canvas to having any design out of thin air onto any hard surface, other than sensitive materials which are not immune to plastic and heat, a lot of unique things or projects are possible with 3Doodler.
However, does this device have any more utility than just being another toy or state of the art gadget? That question cannot be answered just as yet. There can be many people who would open up shops with this pen and make a living out of it. There is no need to undermine the imagination of people and how smartly some can use this pen. Yet, the practical utility of this device should be questioned. Unlike 3D printers, this pen cannot create a design out of its own and certainly cannot adhere to the intricacies or perfect detailing of preset designs. The entire artwork would depend entirely on the hand movements of the user and thus on the ability of a person to design something with the sheer movement of a hand and certainly his or her imagination.
