Ms Shand told the court that Zoe had been lying there with a sheet of plastic over her face and only a murderer would take the dreadful step of setting her on fire.

BBC: Zoe murder accused Robert Bayne 'guilty of atrocity'

The MirageTable uses a 3D-video projector to beam images onto a sheet of curved white plastic placed in front of the user.

BBC: MirageTable demonstration

But it is possible to lay down a thin layer of silicon on a flexible plastic sheet, through a process called vacuum deposition.

ECONOMIST: Just press print

Winky Dink said he wanted the children to mail away for a "Magic Window, " which was actually a cheaply produced, thin sheet of plastic that adhered to the TV screen by static electricity.

CNN: Winky Dink and ... Bill Gates?

Now each layer of plastic is as thin as a sheet of copy paper, resulting in smooth printed prototypes.

ENGADGET: MakerBot unveils Replicator 2, 2X and launches retail store, we go eyes-on