- Crysta can make a 3D printed model of a Gaussian Splat
- The level of detail is quite remarkable.
- It’s not cheap, but it’s still something amazing.
Have you ever wanted to take a real-life scene and reduce it to a snowball-style model (without snow) to place on your shelf and keep forever?
Well, maybe not forever, but you get the idea, and it’s possible to do it now thanks to a company called Crysta.
@Crysta_AI printed one of my bees as a gift! pic.twitter.com/HENIVMXaMJJune 18, 2026
The result, as you can see in post X above, is quite spectacular. But wait a minute, I hear you ask (probably): a Gaussian what now? If you’re not familiar with the concept of a Gaussian Splat, it’s a 3D model of a real place or thing, built from video footage you’ve filmed with your camera (or perhaps a drone for more adventurous builds).
We previously covered how this works in a detailed article where we used a cloud-based service called Splatica to create our Splat, and suffice to say, it’s a great process with impressive results.
However, taking awesome a step further is to take that Gaussian Splat model and 3D print it. (Crysta can also do this with an alternative process, Neural Radiance Fields or NeRF.)
How is the model converted into a physical interpretation? Bittel notes that: “The Gaussian symbol is first voxelated, a bit like a Minecraft level. Each voxel has a mix of inks and can be more or less transparent. This is then printed on [a] Special 3D printer, layer by layer.”
cubic cost
As Bittel observes, this is like a modern version of the fly trapped in amber, except it is a completely artificial construct, built from an artificial model. I love the idea and if you do too, you might be wondering how much it costs.
The truth is that it is not cheap, as you can imagine. You’ll have to shell out for a subscription to Splatica if you go the same route TechRadar did, which is quite expensive (or use an equivalent service or app).
The actual impression of the model by Crysta will cost around $140 in the US for a 30mm cube, according to Bittel as a guide price (they got one for free, as a gift, in case you were wondering). You can go up to a 300mm cube if you want an ornament that makes a real impact on your room (and probably your wallet too).
The company ships the 3D printed models around the world, although of course it will cost more to ship them outside the US.
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