3D RepRap printers
These are machines to which you can send a 3D model designed, for instance, in CAD, Blender or in any other modelling tool, and after a while you will have a real object that you can actually hold in your hand.
The printer is so small that you can put it on your desk, you can build it yourself at a cost of a few thousand crowns and it is completely open source – from firmware to device drivers to hardware. It can even produce a part of itself. This is no science fiction, this is reality!
There are many types of 3D printers that are based on different principles and technology. Some are worth millions, some can be built at home in the evenings for a fraction of the price. The reason we were so impressed by the RepRap printers was that it’s a free project to which anybody can contribute and from which anybody can benefit.