Image source: Stable Diffusion

Of course I was going to post about this particular alternate reality 3D printer eventually.

Image source: Stable Diffusion

Technically a 3D printer just "prints" in three dimensions. It doesn't require the matterial to be plastic or chocolate. Why not visible light?

Image source: Stable Diffusion

Also, technically speaking, light is energy and energy and matter are equivalent. Scientists first predicted that collisions of light could directly be converted into matter but it was around 80 years later when it was experimentally proven that it could be done.

Image source: Stable Diffusion

Image source: Stable Diffusion

Maybe this could also just seem holographic. The 3D printer extrudes whatever feedstock material it prints with. The enclosed area around the build plate also acts like a volumetric display booth. As the model is printed the virtual 3D model displayed is slowly eroded and replaced bit by bit with the printed part of the actual 3D print as it is being printed. It would make for an interesting time lapse video of a virtual 3D model literally transforming into a 3D print.

If I had the money I'd be patenting that right now.

Image source: Stable Diffusion

Image source: Stable Diffusion