Japanese design firm Nendo has unveiled a 3D printed bonsai tree that you can prune by hand, just like a real tree.
Over in Japan, phone carrier Softbank has just launched their own crowdfunding site. This in itself isn’t particularly exciting, but one of the pilot projects to feature on the platform certainly is. A company of distinguished designers called Nendo are planning to offer a 3D printed bonsai tree which you can trim by hand.
Details are sketchy at the moment, since the project hasn’t been uploaded to the crowdfunding site yet, but it looks like you’ll be be able to choose a base, and it’ll come with cross-knit network of plastic lattices.
You can then prune and clip away until you have the desired shape. And if you’re more ham-fisted than green-fingered, there will also be a companion app that allows you to digitally design the end result, which you can send to a 3D printer to have it fabricated.
Now, what we know about miniature arbory you could scribble down on the back of a matchbox, so the temptation here would be to run a Google Image Search for any beautiful examples of real bonsai trees and just try to copy that. Or perhaps just visit a zen garden and take a couple of photos.
But who are Nendo, exactly? They’re a well-respected Japanese design firm with a broad remit that includes interior design, tech products, fashion, and more besides. This isn’t their first rodeo with 3D printing, either. Check out their laquered paper objects for another intriguing experiment.
The 3D printed bonsai tree is one of three ideas that the company has put forward for the new crowdfunding site from Softbank, Plus Style. Unfortunately, there are no details of how much the concept will cost, or when it’ll be available. Stay tuned for further updates!
(Via: Engadget)
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