Skip to main content

The EFF wants YOU to help protect 3D printing from patent trolls!

3D printing patent trolls
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Of all the emerging technologies currently on the horizon, there are good reasons to believe that 3D printing is the most exciting. According to the believers, 3D printing could not only revolutionize manufacturing, but literally change the lives of millions of people around the world through improved access to countless products, and even create things like custom-made artificial limbs and pharmaceuticals. But according to Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), all that could get flushed straight down the toilet if patent trolls have their way.

Thanks to recently expired and soon-to-expire patents, the 3D printing industry enjoys a relatively unencumbered existence, in terms of intellectual property laws. The problem, says the EFF, is that “‘creative’ patent drafting” could soon restrict innovation in the 3D printing industry for the next 20 years — something that could stifle a market whose growth is largely dependent on the open nature of the industry.

Recommended Videos

In an effort to block the patent trolls, the EFF and the Cyberlaw Clinic at Harvard’s Berkman Center for Internet and Society have launched an initiative to find patents that could pour cold water on the 3D printing industry, and stop them in their tracks — and they want your help.

To get involved in the patent troll battle against 3D printing, the EFF recommends starting by searching the patent archives through the USPTO, PAIR, or Google Patents search. If you find a patent you think might apply to 3D printing, simply email the EFF at 3Dprinting@eff.org.

Once you’ve found these patents, you can begin searching for “prior art,” which is, basically, any publicly available information that shows an idea for a patent existed before the patent application was submitted. It could be a news article, a website, textbooks, other patents, research papers — almost anything outside of private communications. The EFF will also be updating its blog once patents are identified, to help fine-tune the prior art search.

Until recent changes to the patent system, the public was not able to take part in finding prior art — only the USPTO could perform that task. Now, thanks to the America Invents Act, anyone can submit prior art to the USPTO, and there are an increasing number of ways to do this, such as the recently launch AskPatents website from Stack Exchange.

While patent trolls may be threatening the 3D printing ecosystem, they aren’t the only challenge: According to experts, 3D printing will likely bring the wrath of all colors of copyright-reliant industries due to 3D printing’s inherent ability to let anyone recreate products at home. Such is the plight of disruptive technology, especially one as potentially powerful as 3D printing.

If you want to help protect the 3D printing industry, don’t wait to get involved: USPTO rules mandate that the window for combating the patents EFF is talking about is only open for six months after a patent’s first publication. So get to work, people. The future depends on you.

Andrew Couts
Features Editor for Digital Trends, Andrew Couts covers a wide swath of consumer technology topics, with particular focus on…
Sebastian Stan lays out Bucky’s future after Thunderbolts
Sebastian Stan in Thunderbolts.

There are some spoilers ahead for the ending of Marvel's Thunderbolts. Stop reading now if you don't want to be spoiled.

Earlier this year, Captain America: Brave New World briefly introduced a new direction for James "Bucky" Barnes, a character Sebastian Stan has been playing since 2011 in Captain America: The First Avenger. In Brave New World, the former Winter Soldier apparently retired from being a reformed hero and went into politics by running for Congress. Thunderbolts reveals that Bucky won his election to the House of Representatives. But his stay in Congress was short.

Read more
Jeep Compass EV breaks cover—but will it come to the U.S.?
jeep compass ev us newjeepcompassfirsteditionhawaii  4

Jeep just pulled the wraps off the all-new Compass EV, and while it’s an exciting leap into the electric future, there's a catch—it might not make it to the U.S. anytime soon.
This is a brand new electric version of the Jeep Compass, and being built on Stellantis' STLA platform—the same architecture underpinning models like the Peugeot E-3008 and E-5008—it looks much slicker and packs a lot more inside than previous versions of the Compass.
Let’s start with what’s cool: the new Compass EV is packing up to 404 miles of range on a single charge, a 74 kWh battery, and fast-charging that gets you from 20% to 80% in about 30 minutes. Not bad for a compact SUV with Jeep's badge on the nose.
There are two versions: a front-wheel-drive model with 213 horsepower and a beefier all-wheel-drive version with 375 horsepower. That AWD setup isn’t just for looks—it can handle 20% inclines even without front traction, and comes with extra ground clearance and better off-road angles. In short, it’s still a Jeep.
The design's been refreshed too, and inside you’ll find the kind of tech and comfort you’d expect in a modern EV—sleek, smart, and ready for both city streets and dirt trails.
But here’s the thing: even though production starts soon in Italy, Jeep hasn’t said whether the Compass EV is coming to America. And the signs aren’t promising.
Plans to build it in Canada were recently put on hold, with production now delayed until at least early 2026. Some of that might have to do with possible U.S. tariffs on Canadian and Mexican vehicles—adding a layer of uncertainty to the whole rollout.
According to Kelley Blue Book, a Stellantis spokesperson confirmed that the company has “temporarily paused work on the next-generation Jeep Compass, including activities at” the Canadian plant that was originally meant to build the model. They added that Stellantis is “reassessing its product strategy in North America” to better match customer needs and demand for different powertrain options.
So while Europe and other markets are gearing up to get the Compass EV soon, American drivers might be left waiting—or miss out entirely.
That’s a shame, because on paper, this electric Jeep hits a lot of sweet spots. Let’s just hope it finds a way over here.

Read more
Charlie Cox singles out his least favorite Daredevil: Born Again episode
Charlie Cox in Daredevil: Born Again.

Daredevil: Born Again season 1 was largely reconceived after the 2023 actor and writer strikes. Dario Scardapane -- a veteran of The Punisher series on Netflix -- was brought in to be the new showrunner and he made a lot of changes to the series that were well-received. However, there's one episode that Scardapane didn't really change at all, and it happens to be the least favorite episode of Daredevil: Born Again's leading man, Charlie Cox.

During an appearance on The Playlist, Cox noted that he wasn't very fond of the season's fifth episode, "With Interest," which was a largely standalone episode that featured his character, Matt Murdock, in a bank during a hostage crisis.

Read more