3D pen allows you to draw in the air

The 3Doodler contains a mains-powered electric heater that melts plastic which then cools as it comes out of the end of the pen like a cake-icer, reports The Telegraph.Working in a similar way to 3D printers, the pen allows a practised user to produce sophisticated three-dimensional shapes.The demo video shows an easily recognisable peacock and recreation of the Eiffel Tower that have been made using the pen.The pen's key component is a tiny fan that cools the plastic as it leaves the nib. "This makes it solidify very quickly," says company spokesman Daniel Cowen.The pen was developed by the US start-up firm WobbleWorks.The firm launched a Kickstarter campaign to crowdfund $30,000 towards the pen’s development programme, a target that was passed in a few hours.They hope to have the pen ready for sale later this year for $75 (£49).A battery-powered version should follow, Mr Cowen says. "It's power usage means that a lot of work is needed for a wireless version - but that is in the works."The company does issue one warning on its website: “While the plastic extruded from 3 Doodler is safe to touch once it has left the pen, the pen itself has a metal tip that can get as hot as 270C.“There is no reason for any user to touch the tip while in use, but safety comes first, and our forthcoming videos will explain how to use the 3Doodler, covering the different techniques and safety precautions necessary.”WobbleWorks are also considering making a version for creating food, letting people make lattice-structured sweets and candies."We could in theory use the pen to melt sticks of sugar," Mr Cowen says. "But we don't want to get into food safety issues just yet. We will be running some [food] tests soon - and we'd have to lower the temperature in the pen, too."(thedailystar.net)ANN.Az