Other times the nozzle plugged up, the wafer loader jammed or the platform on which the prototype was formed slammed into the extruder.

FORBES: Almost Out of the Woods

And while MakerBot still seems a ways away from the final product, the company used SXSW as a platform to unveil a prototype of its MakerBot Digitizer Desktop 3D Scanner.

ENGADGET

The prototype device is called the Joint Battle Command-Platform Handheld.

CNN: U.S. Army may soon equip troops with smartphones

The hardware we got to see was a crude prototype built for demo purposes only, but the software platform shows promise and Epson's got a version two Moverio headset in the works -- so perhaps you can see a bit of the future of smart glasses in the video after the break.

ENGADGET

The community recently unveiled its element14 knode, a unique automated platform that enables engineers to quickly research, design, develop and prototype in a single, intelligent environment. element14 is an innovative offering from Premier Farnell plc (LSE:pfl), FTSE 250, a leader in multi-channel electronics distribution trading throughout Europe (Farnell), the Americas (Newark) and Asia Pacific (element14).

ENGADGET: Ben Heck splits and condenses a pair of Xbox 360 controllers for the disabled