U.S. firm releases $1,400 scanner to create 3-D printing files

NEW YORK, Aug. 22 (UPI) -- A U.S. company says it is selling a desktop device that can quickly scan objects so they can be reproduced on a 3-D printer.

MakerBot of Brooklyn, N.Y., said its $1,400 Digitizer will be shipped to the first buyers in October.

The machine, intended to allow consumers to replicate objects without having to learn to use any 3-D modeling software, or have any other special expertise, uses several lasers to scan an object and trace the contours in its surface.

"The MakerBot Digitizer is for early adopters, experimenters, and visionaries who want to be pioneers in Desktop 3D Scanning," the company said on its website.

As a consumer device the scanner is not suitable for intricate designs, the company acknowledged, and cautioned users not to expect "too much" from the machine.

"Expectations should be realistic," MakerBot said in FAQ. "You will not be able to, for example, scan a hamburger and then eat the digital design."