By: Judd Parker – info@3dprinterstocks.com

Now this is a cool idea. I bet you thought this site was just going to consist of bunch of stock tickers and that I was just going to tell you to go buy HPQ because it’s undervalued (It is and you should by the way). If that is what you were looking for, there is a stock ticker on the left. For those of us that like to understand what we are investing in and how future markets could work, I have something you may be interested in. The cool thing about the rising technology of 3D printing is that it can be applied to almost any area of life. From printing cells to printing concrete, 3d printers are being developed for any and all uses. So would it be too far of a stretch for them to be developed for all ages?

Imagine a 10 year old you. Now imagine if you had the ability to design and make any toy you wanted. Enter the Origo: A brilliant idea from Artur Tchoukanov and Joris Peels. The main concept behind the Origo is to bring the creative potential of 3d printing to a market that thrives on creative potential… kids. From the site (Origo3dprinting.com) :

“Hello, I am Origo. I am a 3D printer for ten year olds.

You can draw your very own things in 3Dtin and I’ll build them for you in plastic.

Right now, I am just an idea. I will be as easy to use as an Xbox or Wii. I’ll be as big as three Xbox 360s and as expensive as three Xbox 360s. I will sit on your desk and quietly build your ideas, drawings and dreams.

There are other 3D printers. But none will be as easy to use as I will. None will be as reliable or work as hard for you. I’m not a kit or an industrial machine. I’m not complicated. I’m an appliance, like a toaster or a microwave. Only I’m purple and make your stuff.

You don’t have to be ten to use me, but it helps.  Sure adults are older and can do lots of different things such as drive a car and use a drill. But, adults aren’t really good at imagining things. They’re afraid. Afraid of failing, afraid of not making the perfect thing. They see the world as it is, not as it could be. They see what can’t be done, not what could become. Kids are not afraid. They’ll draw anything and everything. They’ll make whatever it is they feel like. They’ll imagine, dream and create. And that’s what I’ll help you do. You could share me with your brothers, sisters and parents and make together. You could teach them how to make the world as they want it to be. Most of all though, I’m a tool for you. “

A cool idea behind this is that they are designing it to work with the online, kid friendly CAD program 3DTin. The program is really just a website that can export the 3d image in various 3d printer friendly files. This is a cool idea because A) It can be used from any computer with internet access and B) No worrying about having a computer specifically designated for 3d printing. I gave the site a try and it is super easy to use and I’m not going to lie… it’s fun. 10 Year Old me would have spent hours designing things with it. Honestly, I could see myself spending hours playing with it now! I spent a couple minutes making a sword out of cubes. It’s like the game Minecraft except you can print out what you make. Very neat idea.

Right now, the Origo is still in the development phase. It has no set release date to speak of. The thing that gets me excited about this is the fact that this is a prime example of the incredibly awesome future this technology can create. The only thing that I don’t like about the Origo is the predicted price. It said in the description that it will cost “as much as 3 Xbox 360′s“. I think this will be a bit pricey for a product like this geared for kids. But this price is not a far cry from the prices being announced by some of the other companies developing home 3d printers. I think that time will be the thing that solves the issue of price with a product like this. If a toy 3d printer could be developed and was available for a couple hundred dollars, they would fly off the shelf. In the next couple of years we will see 3d printer prices drop and the idea of an affordable kids printer is not that far off. When more and more companies start picking up this technology, there will be plenty of places to invest. Not only would I be interested in buying stock in a company that makes 3d printers for kids such as an Origo… I wouldn’t mind having an Origo to play with myself.

“Origo: 3D Printing @ Home” by Artur Tchoukanov from Umeå Institute of Design on Vimeo.

As always, stay tuned to 3dPrinterStocks.com where we keep track of all the major events in the 3d printing market. Coming up we will be breaking down individual stocks related to the 3d printing industry and let you know who is creating waves and how!