3D printer helps children learn math

Qingdao Unique Products, a China-based company specializing in 3D printing products and technology, aims to help children learn math using a small, affordable, kid-friendly 3D printer called the Magic Cube.

The Magic Cube, or MagiCube as 3ders calls it, reportedly costs under $400 and is aimed at education markets. The price is not cheap enough to put it in every home, but it is a reasonable price for schools.

CEO Wang Hong drew inspiration from Intel's "The Future Classroom" concept, which promotes multidisciplinary learning using 3D printing, according to 3ders. This is a natural fit for subjects such as geometry, in which learned concepts can be applied to 3D modeling and printing. The company already has its first institutional customer, the Qingdao Education Bureau, with which it signed a cooperation agreement in September.

Targeting the education market makes sense, though, as there seems to be a lot of untapped potential there. Once teachers recognized the usefulness of Chromebooks, for example, they took off in education markets, making such customers the strongest buyers of the devices.

The Magic Cube specifications show it has 300mm sides and is compatible with Windows 7 and 8 via USB. There is no mention of other OS, although Windows is a good bet in the education market with the exception of the small, but growing, Chromebook segment in the US.

See a comparison table of selected 3D printer suppliers on GlobalSources.com