I’m not one to get excited about printers unless they are super sleek and actually do something different than the scads of other printers out there. Well Z Corp is making printers that don’t do the same old thing as its counterparts but instead they actually print 3D models of images that are scanned into the machine. Z Corps printers utilizes 2 inkjet printer heads, one that sprays on the color, the other that sprays a fluid that holds the mold together. So how would you use a machine like this you ask? Well to bring your favorite computer game avatars to life of course! Figureprints which specializes in World of Warcraft figures, has bought several of these machines to make all your wizards and other oddities of WOW, companions out of the computer. Rock Band also recently signed a deal with Z Corp so that players can upload images of their Rock Band avatars or what is called Bandmates, and have a 6″ figure of your character sent to you. Plaster dust is the foundation of the 3D printer mold and layer by layer the magic happens to bring your video game avatar to life.  The printer is huge and unless you are making a business out of 3D figures, it isn’t really meant for home use. (Source: Game Informer, November ‘08)