For Xbox fans, Seamus Blackley is (or at least should be) a significant name. He played a huge, if early, role in the development of the original Xbox consoles. Blackley helped create the initial proposal for the device and put together the team that build the machine. Now he is focusing on revolutionizing 3D printing with startup company Daqri.
Since leaving Microsoft in 2002, Blackley has mostly stuck to gaming, but success has been limited. Despite his ties to the games industry, Seamus Blackley actually started as a specialist in high-energy physics.
Indeed, he helped to create the physics engine for Flight Unlimited. So, in many ways, Blackley is returning to his roots. His Heat Engine research team has recently been acquired by augmented reality company Daqri.
Blackley will head up a new R&D department with the company, along with his Heat Engine team. However, while Daqri is known for AR, this department will look into creating instant 3D printing solutions.
Instant 3D Printing
The two companies are working on leveraging Daqri’s Software Defined Light technology to find commercial applications for instant 3D printing.
This software allows powerful holograms to be created through light manipulation. These holograms could then be used to create instant 3D creations.
“I set up a rapid prototyping lab, primarily focused on physics, in Pasadena, in the space where I was restoring all my arcade games. We ended up having staff and doing rapid prototyping projects,” Blackley said, in an interview with GamesBeat.
“Through this intern we brought in from Cal Tech, I met someone who turned out to be one of the first investors in Daqri. He introduced me to the CEO of Daqri, Brian Mullins, who I really took a shine to.”
Blackley’s team will help the company find commercial oppostunities for the technology. This will include acquisitions to further development and commercialization of the software.
