Toy manufacturer Mattel has announced a partnership with software company Autodesk, which will give folks the chance to design and 3D print their own toys.
The Autodesk-powered mobile apps will arrive later this year, allowing users to customise the toys. The designs can then be 3D printed or submitted to the manufacturer who’ll do likewise and ship it.
It’s unclear which toys will be available to design and customise within the app studios, but Mattel is behind global brand names like Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher Price and Thomas & Friends.
The parties say their alliance will give kids and families “the key to the your factory” and will inspire “unlimited imaginations.”
According to a joint press release: “
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The partnership will allow Autodesk to push its own open 3D printing platform Spark.
The company’s VP Samir Hanna said: “Partnering with an iconic brand like Mattel provides us with an opportunity to demonstrate how Spark, our open 3D printing platform, can help create amazing experiences that bridge the digital and physical worlds and push the boundaries of creative play.”
Details are still pretty sparse right now, but we should be hearing more about this as we head towards the summer.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
