Somerville Inventors Create World's First 3D Printing Pen

SOMERVILLE (CBS) - Soon the written word will be able to jump off the page, thanks to two Somerville inventors.

The 3Doodler is the world's first 3D printing pen.

"It's fun and it's relatively easy to do," says Maxwell Bogue, co-creator of the 3Doodler.

The prototype looks like a thick marker. It's able to melt plastic that cools instantly into whatever shape you can dream up.

"It's a new way to communicate," explains Peter Dilworth, the other-half of the 3Doodler team. "It's effectively a way for people to communicate 3D ideas directly to each other."

To help get the pen into stores everywhere, Max and Peter turned to the fundraising website Kickstarter.

They had hoped to make $30,000 to fund their project. They made more than $2 million.

Peter calls the Kickstarter experience "completely mind-blowing".

Max attributes the 3Doodler's popularity to its low price and no need for software.

"It really opens it up for everyone to experience this and start thinking about the world in a different way," said Max.

Max and Peter stress because of the hot metal tip, the 3Doodler isn't a toy. Though the duo says that could be their next creation.

The 3Doodler will cost around $100 and it could be in stores as early as next Christmas.