There’s been a key development in the Manyfold project.
Readers may recall our story from last October, when we described Manyfold’s goals: to create a fully distributed shared respository of 3D models, where you own your content. This is quite different than the current approach where big companies control huge repositories, and where they sometimes manage your content for their own benefit, not yours.
Think of it like a virtual repository where the models are stored all over the place at participating nodes, but when using it, the models seem like they are all in a single repository.
This is a very powerful concept that might take hold. However, Manyfold is a very new project and they have lots to do.
This week there was a significant development in the project. Manyfold explains:
“So, we’re really, really pleased to announce that Manyfold has been awarded another grant by NLNet and NGI Zero, under the NGI0 Commons Fund, which should see us through 2025. We’re hugely grateful to NLNet for their support of the project so far, both in funding and services provided, and this award only makes that even more true!”
This funding will allow the project to develop more features and capabilities. These will likely include:
- Integration with slicing software to permit 3D model access from Manyfold directly into slicers.
- A full JSON API, which would permit others to build different client interfaces for specific purposes or ease of use.
- Search function, which is more complex due to the distributed nature of Manyfold.
- Deep federation, where 3D models may seamlessly appear on each Manyfold instance.
- Automated 3D model simplification to save network bandwidth.
- Ability to move content between Manyfold instances.
- Synchronization with external 3D model repositories, such as Thingiverse and Printables.
- 3MF support.
- Enabling ways for 3D models creators to allow payment transactions for their work.
That’s quite a list of improvements, and should dramatically raise the capabilities of Manyfold.
At this point, Manyfold is merely an interesting project, but it offers a different view of the future. A future where individuals contribute their content into a dynamic, indestructible, distributed worldwide virtual 3D model source.
If you’re interested in supporting this project, I encourage you to take a look at their project page.
Via Manyfold
