A joint research project between the University of Minnesota and the U.S. Army has taken inspiration from nature for 3D printed soft robots. The robots’ motion is based on that of invertebrates, as this allows for improved flexibility with less complex mechanisms and electronics, increasing the viability for battlefield use.
A group of students at the University of Washington has used 3D printing technology in order to make a useful household device. Their ‘smart’ device can be fitted to the cap of a bottle of laundry liquid, and it is capable of sending a message to a phone to order more detergent through the Amazon app, when the bottle is almost empty.
Marathon runner Eliud Kipchoge will run this year’s London Marathon in a pair of Nike trainers that were developed using 3D printing technology. The company used its Flyprint system to individually print threads of the upper fabric, in an effort to reduce weight and help Kipchoge achieve the fastest-ever marathon run.
Finland’s VTT research centre has developed a proof-of-concept for a ‘smart’ metal component. The 3D printed part is a metal shaft for a bearing, and it has embedded sensors that allow it to provide feedback on its own performance in real-time.
BMW has announced that it will be opening a new Additive Manufacturing Campus sometime in 2019. Costing around $12 million, the facility will be located just north of Munich and will be focused on interdisciplinary training and developing the most cutt…
A group of researchers at Cleveland’s Cape Western Reserve University have fabricated a new superelastic foam material. Using 3D printing, they modified the structure of polyurethane to have tunable properties as well as high levels of robustness and elasticity, and the foam could be useful for footwear, seating and other purposes.
A maker based in the UK has been awarded the Guinness World Record for world’s largest 3D printed human sculpture. The statue, which stands at 3.62m (11.8 ft), is modelled after its maker James Bruton and took over 500 hours to print.
E&G Associates, a company formed by engineering grads from the University of Tennessee, is collaborating with the U.S. Navy on explosives research. The company will be making use of HP’s Jet Fusion 3D printing technology to explore different shapes and material combinations, with tests carried out at the Missouri University of Science and Technology.
A group of architecture students at LA’s Sci-Arc have used 3D printing and AI in their proposals for a re-development project. They captured images of Lincoln Heights, a disused LA jail complex, and came up with innovative ideas to adapt it using cutting-edge technologies
A young student from Argentina has announced his intention to 3D print prosthetics for dogs. 17 year-old Alejandro Colli will be offering the prosthetics free of charge, and his campaign has received over 70, 000 retweets on Twitter.
