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HP's 'blended reality' Sprout desktop just got better at 3D capture

Back when HP first introduced Sprout, an ambitious all-in-one desktop, the company came up with lots of reasons why you might want such an unusual PC -- one with an overheard projector/camera, and a touch mat that could act as a second screen. Among the various use cases -- gaming, visual projects, teleconferencing -- 3D modeling was one of the more obvious scenarios. Imagine: Just put an object in front of the depth-sensing camera, and boom, the computer creates a 360-degree, 3D model that you can view and manipulate onscreen. Unfortunately, the process was far from user-friendly and indeed, HP said at launch that it was working on an app that would make the workflow easier. Fast forward eight months, and the company is ready to show us some improvements. HP just unveiled the software, called 3D Capture, as well as an optional $299 "stage" accessory that should make 360-degree capture easier in the first place.

Though the stage is indeed optional, it's probably worth it. Plug in the turntable via USB, set an object on top of it (note: it doesn't support objects heavier than 4.4 pounds or taller than 7.5 inches). Press a button and the stage will start to rotate, tilting up to 15 degrees to ensure there are no blank spots in the final image. The result: a 360-degree scan you can use inside HP's new modeling software. Without the stage, you'd have to manually position objects under the camera to get a clean image that covers every surface. This seems easy to screw up, and it would also be a shame if one were to spend $1,900 on a PC, only to settle for amateurish scans. What I'm saying is, if you care about 3D modeling, you'll pony up the $299. It's a small price to pay anyway, considering how much you'll probably spend on a 3D printer that can actually produce your prototypes.

Once you have your 360-degree scan, 3D Capture is where you edit, play with, share and print your creations. That's the selling point, really: Unlike the existing workflow, this gives users a one-stop shop where they can do everything they need to do without having to open another program, or export any of the data. As far as editing goes, the program will clean up artifacts, as well as let you export and also save as a 2D image. From there, you can share over social media or email. If you send through email, your friend will see an auto-generated gif preview, as well as a link that allows them to view the scan full-size in their browser. As for printing, you can print locally or send to a print-to-server provider.

The software arrives in July, both on new machines and as an automatic software update for people who already own a Sprout.