Printing Gaussian Splats(patreon.com)
338 points by ilnmtlbnm 3 days ago | 39 comments
tl;dr: Crysta.ai 3D-printed the author's Gaussian splat of an insect by voxelating it into a translucent "crystal" block, with each voxel containing a mix of inks and varying transparency. The author trained the splat using spherical harmonics at level 0 in linear space to suit the non-view-dependent printing process, though results came out slightly dark with some splat artifacts and clumpy fur. They suggest future improvements like voxelization previews and MagicaVoxel import/export support.
HN Discussion:
  • Amazement at the fidelity and novelty of this 3D printing technique
  • Questions about technical details like printer technology and pricing
  • Skepticism about the voxelation approach, suggesting mesh-based alternatives might be more efficient
  • Validation that Gaussian splatting can support a viable business/product
  • Sharing supplementary resources like the original splat and printer video