A new Kickstarter sees Shaper Tools – the woodworking and robotics OEM behind the handheld CNC router, Origin – introducing a product that enables users to go from “sketch to vector in seconds”.
Shaper Trace is a “toolkit” that consists of a 265 × 185 mm plastic, rectangular Trace Frame, the Trace App, and a regular, black-ink “Artist’s Pen”. Users create a drawing or sketch (with the included pen or the drawing instrument of their choice), place the Frame around it, and use the browser-based Trace App to take a picture. The app, which is compatible with any Android or Apple device with a rear-facing camera, digitizes the image and converts it to a scalable vector graphic (SVG).
Here’s where things get interesting: the Trace App finds both the centerline and outline of the image it captures, resulting in an optimized path for laser cutters, CNC machines, and vinyl cutters. Shaper also says users don’t need to worry about the positioning of the device they use to capture images, as the app automatically flattens sketches to accurately preserve their scale. All users need to do is choose between the outline or centerline, smooth the image to their liking, and export the SVG to the necessary software or hardware.
In this way, the Trace doesn’t aim to replace tech such as drawing tablets, but exists as an alternative for users who prefer an analog approach to design. Speed and spontaneity are also factors here, with Shaper claiming that the Trace enables more efficient workflows – as user-created designs are almost instantly ready for milling, machining, cutting, or similar manufacturing methods.
At the time of this writing, Shaper Trace has earned nearly $800,000 on a modest $10,000 goal, with 16 days left to go. The Shaper Trace kit is available for a $99 MSRP or for campaign discounts while supplies last. For more info, check out the Shaper Trace Kickstarter page, or its product page on Shaper Tools’ website.
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License: The text of "This Kickstarter Wants To Turn Your Sketches Into SVGs" by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.