Inspiration

I develop software for the logistics industry and am involved with mailrooms and transport companies where cubing is currently done with a tape measure. I recently became interested in 3D printing and realised that an electronic device would be a much faster solution for cubing.

What it does

Cubist uses the camera on your smartphone or tablet in combination with a distance sensor to measure the dimensions of a surface and calculate cubic measurements. It is simple to use, affordable & ultra portable.

How I built it

The body of the device has been built using a 3D printer, the electronics components are based on Arduino and the device runs using software built with Javascipt and HTML5.

Challenges I ran into

Calibrating the lens has been difficult. It has also been hard to get the electronics to fit into the case. Onscreen measurement has also been a challenge.

Accomplishments that I'm proud of

Taking the idea and converting it into a physical product within a tight time frame.

What I learned

The finer aspects of 3D printing.

What's next for Cubist

This version of Cubist is a hand held unit that will be miniaturised. The product will then be expanded to include a desktop version that will be integrated with scales and additional sensors that will allow the user to place a parcel on the scales where it will be weighed and cubed simultaneously.

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