MiniToy 3D Printer – The World’s First Kid-friendly and STEAM Ready 3D Printer
by Weistek Co., Ltd.
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MiniToy 3D Printer - The World’s First Kid-friendly and STEAM Ready 3D Printer
3D printing is likely to change the world. In fact, it could be argued that this technology is already changing the way we do business and create products in many scenarios with jawbones, housing and even satellites being constructed entirely with this technique.
With this in mind, teaching children to use 3D printers and to understand how products are increasingly being made could be a very good investment. Especially for hardware enthusiasts and entrepreneurs who’d like their progeny to follow in their footsteps!
This is the idea behind MiniToy 3D Printer, a 3D printer that is aimed squarely at children and empowers them to create their very own toys.
The Vision
Children have incredibly active imaginations and are always coming up with new games and ideas. The MiniToy 3D Printer is a natural extension of that and allows them to see their ideas go from conception to reality.
A key aspect of the product is to address the skills gap currently occurring in America with the help of ‘STEAM Education’ – an initiative adopted by many schools around the world in an effort to boost participation in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics.
Of course no one is expecting preschoolers to learn AutoCad. Rather, they will be able to choose 3D models from the MiniToy app with hundreds of objects that can then be combined and connected in unlimited configurations. The device is designed to look like a toy itself and will be affordably priced for families and educational institutions.
The Company and Strategy
MiniToy 3D Printer comes from Weistek Co., Ltd. and has already passed its target of $50,000 on Kickstarter with 39 days to go. Big sites such as Yahoo Finance, C|Net, CNBC and more have already covered the product and it’s generally been an all-round success story so far.
The company has also received great feedback at two big consumer electronic shows. One being CES where they launched the product and the other is the Global Sources Electronics Show in Hong Kong where the MiniToy received a China Daily Innovation Award for one of the five “Most Promising Electronic Gadgets”.
So what can we learn from Weistek? What have they done right that’s enabled them to enjoy such success? The answer is simple: they have taken an emerging technology and marketed to a new audience.
As the company itself told us:
“Since the creation of the first 3D printer in 1986, the new technology has helped industries streamline their design processes and allowed them to lower their production costs. The 3D printer is now being used in many different ways including helping the blind and partially-sighted communicate. Now, Weistek is taking it to the next level by introducing it as an important educational device that will allow children to develop even further.”
By combining the limitless imagination of children with the endless possibilities of 3D printing, MiniToy presents a very compelling and straightforward USP. With luck, this could well present the natural evolution for Lego!
What do you think about the project? Could you see yourself buying something like this for your kids? Let us know in the comments and subscribe for more spotlights and industry news!
