German engineers have created a machine that can take a physical object, scan it and rebuild it in a new location.
The prototype "transporter" is called "Scotty" after the chief engineer on Star Trek.
The machine scans small objects with a camera layer-by-layer, as a milling machine slowly destroys it. By slicing the object into layers it is possible to get a detailed view of the object, even including any hollow cavities.
A detailed model is then encrypted and digitally transmitted over the internet to a second machine, which reconstructs it with a 3D printer. Its creators say the machine effectively "relocates physical objects across distances".
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