Researchers from MIT, Inkbit, and ETH Zurich have developed a groundbreaking 3D inkjet printing system that employs computer vision for real-time adjustments. Unlike traditional systems, it doesn't require mechanical smoothing, allowing it to work with slower-curing materials, offering enhanced properties like elasticity. The contactless system is 660 times faster than comparable printers, creating hybrid structures with soft and rigid components. Using a technique called vision-controlled jetting, the printer adjusts resin deposition with 16,000 nozzles based on high-resolution depth maps, enabling precise printing with various materials, such as thiol-based ones, contributing to the creation of complex robotic devices like a tendon-driven robotic hand and a six-legged walking robot. The system's versatility opens avenues for printing with hydrogels, silicon, epoxies, and more. This research, published in Nature, promises to revolutionize 3D printing capabilities.
Researchers from MIT, Inkbit, and ETH Zurich have developed a groundbreaking 3D inkjet printing system that employs computer vision for real-time adjustments. Unlike traditional systems, it doesn't require mechanical smoothing, allowing it to work with slower-curing materials, offering enhanced properties like elasticity. The contactless system is 660 times faster than comparable printers, creating hybrid structures with soft and rigid components. Using a technique called vision-controlled jetting, the printer adjusts resin deposition with 16,000 nozzles based on high-resolution depth maps, enabling precise printing with various materials, such as thiol-based ones, contributing to the creation of complex robotic devices like a tendon-driven robotic hand and a six-legged walking robot. The system's versatility opens avenues for printing with hydrogels, silicon, epoxies, and more. This research, published in Nature, promises to revolutionize 3D printing capabilities.