School of Industrial Design

MID Candidate: Becky Justice

Date: January 6, 2016

Time: 10:00 – 11:00 AM

Location: West Architecture, Room 250

Committee Members: 

Kevin D. Shankwiler, Assistant Professor, School of Industrial Design, Advisor

Steven Chininis, Lecturer, School of Industrial Design

Title: Pint Sized Printing: Advancing the Market Adoption of Personal 3D Printers by Developing a Personal 3D Printing System for Children.

Abstract:

Personal 3D printers are currently in a unique place in the Consumer Market called the Chasm. This emerging technology has over saturated the Early Markets, but Mainstream Markets are hesitant to adopt it for various reasons. In order to increase technology adoption rates and move into the Mainstream Market, the consumer perceptions of personal 3D printing need to change. According to industry experts one consumer group that can assist in changing the perceptions of personal 3D printers is children and the adults that make purchases for them. When compared to toys for children ages 8+ with similar functions and features no 3D printer on the market today is completely child friendly, despite claims of the contrary. This project identifies kid friendly criteria and applies it to existing personal 3D printing technology to create a 3D printer that is both suitable and appealing to children. In addition, this project uses Geoffrey Moore’s Whole Product Model to develop a series supporting products and services to give this specific consumer group compelling reasons to adopt this technology and thus move personal 3D printing into the Mainstream Market.