Omar Dunham is the CEO of Changing Technologies, a service that provides on-demand 3D printing of devices for retail customers. They can access designs stored in the site’s catalog of products, and place orders to have them printed and shipped. Dunham envisions a near-future where customers will be able to order wearable Health Tech devices from the service.
“3D printing and wearable technology – 3D printed wearable tech – is a combination that could easily elevate a market past its projected 2018 valuation of $5.8 billion,” according to Durham.
The concept is an intriguing one. 3D printing has already passed the point where it is used just for prototype and model building. It has already proved practical for short-run and on-demand production of finished products. We have seen how on-demand printing has transformed the book publishing world; publishers no longer need to maintain expensive inventories of books that may never be sold. On-demand production of wearable technology could speed development, lower production costs, and make more rapid upgrades practical.
