📺 Stream EntrepreneurTV for Free 📺

3-D Printing Pens 2.0: Smaller, Lighter and More Nimble A trio of inventors in Europe have announced a Kickstarter campaign for a new device that allows you to doodle in the air.

By Catherine Clifford

entrepreneur daily

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

3-D doodling may feel like one of those "back to the future' concepts. Well, the future is already becoming old-school because there's already a next-generation 3-D printing pen.

A team of three inventors in Europe -- Delphine Eloise Wood, Anton Suvorov, and Ismail Baran -- have announced they will be taking their 3-D printing doodle pen, the Lix 3-D Pen, to the crowdfunding site Kickstarter.

3-D doodling means that you can draw in the air. It sounds pretty far out. We had to check out the video (embedded below) to understand completely.

Related: Re-Making Manufacturing in the United States

Lix bills itself as "the smallest 3-D pen in the world," with a thickness comparable to a normal writing pen. Others on the market, such as the 3Doodler, have been larger and more bulky.

Still, Lix isn't as easy to use as an everyday pen; it has to be plugged into a USB port and the user needs to feed a plastic string into it. But the output may be worth it: the pen allows a user to doodle in three dimensions by quickly melting and then cooling the plastic to form freestanding shapes.

When it comes to market, the Lix 3-D is estimated to cost $139.95. A limited number will be available for $70 for pre-order when the Kickstarter campaign launches, according to a company press release.

Related: From Relic to Beacon: Brooklyn Navy Yard Gets New Life as Cutting-Edge Manufacturing Hub

Catherine Clifford

Senior Entrepreneurship Writer at CNBC

Catherine Clifford is senior entrepreneurship writer at CNBC. She was formerly a senior writer at Entrepreneur.com, the small business reporter at CNNMoney and an assistant in the New York bureau for CNN. Clifford attended Columbia University where she earned a bachelor's degree. She lives in Brooklyn, N.Y. You can follow her on Twitter at @CatClifford.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Money & Finance

12 Books That Self-Made Millionaires Swear By

The bookshelves of millionaires can inspire you to build your wealth. Here are 12 must-reads they recommend.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Devices

Stay Focused and Accessible with These $40 Conduction Headphones

These headphones sit on top of your ears, so you can take calls while staying tuned into your surroundings.

Starting a Business

Clinton Sparks Podcast: Founder of Chuck E. Cheese, Atari Discusses Innovation and His Advice to Young People

This podcast is a fun, entertaining and informative show that will teach you how to succeed and achieve your goals with practical advice and actionable steps given through compelling stories and conversations with Clinton and his guests.

Devices

Keep the Office Cool This Summer with $10 Off a Klima Thermostat

The Klima Smart Thermostat can turn your existing mini split, heat pump, or AC into a smart unit.

Green Entrepreneur®

A Deer Invasion in Hawaii Has Turned Into an Environmental Crisis—And a Sustainable Business Opportunity

How Maui Nui Venison built a for-profit harvesting business that protects the land and helps the local community.