This 3D-printed four-legged robot is ready to take on Spot — at a lower price
There are plenty of four-legged, dog-inspired robots about. Could 3D printing make them more ubiquitous? Ghost Robotics and 3D printing company Origin think so.
Ford can use your voice to make your car’s wheels theftproof
Ford has developed a way to make a unique, 3D-printed locking wheel nut that features contours based on the car owner’s voice, reducing the chance of theft.
3D-printed replica of Michelangelo’s David statue is less than 1mm tall
Towering in at a colossal 17 feet tall, Michelangelo’s David statue is a spectacular work of art. Well, it turns out that it’s no less impressive when it’s under one millimeter in size -- as 3D printing experts from Switzerland recently demonstrated to jaw-dropping effect.
The star of the world’s tiniest stop-motion movie is the size of a grain of dust
The lead performer in the Guinness World Record-winning short film Starship Odyssey is just 300 microns tall. That's just 0.3 millimeters or approximately the size of a single grain of dust. Check out the video -- and its "making of" story -- in all its smaller-than-life glory.
Clever topology means this 3D-printed polymer is tough enough to stop a bullet
You’ve probably heard of 3D-printed guns, but how about 3D-printed material capable of stopping bullets in their tracks? That’s what researchers from Rice University’s Brown School of Engineering may have developed with a new polymer that proves almost as hard as diamonds.
3D-printing system can spit out custom-fitted bionic hands in under 10 hours
There have been some pretty darn impressive 3D-printed powered prostheses. But getting them to the people who need them as quickly as possible is still something of a hurdle. Thanks to engineers at the U.K.’s University of Warwick, however, those days may be coming to an end.
Ford’s 3D knitting tech ensures your seats won’t burst at the seams
3D knitting lets Ford make seats from one giant piece of fabric, instead of stitching together up to 40 individual bits. This technique saves time, reduces waste, and allows for more customization. It's not quite ready for prime time yet, but the Blue Oval calls 3D knitting the future of car upholstery.
Volkswagen and HP want your next car to have 3D-printed parts
Volkswagen and HP are looking for ways to get 3D-printed metal parts into production cars. HP was able to print 10,000 scale models of the Volkswagen ID.3 electric car, proving its Metal Jet 3D printers can work at high capacity. Volkswagen wants to 3D print gearshift knobs and other small parts.
Giant 3D-printed wasp nests could be the homes of the future
Ever wanted to live in a giant 3D-printed wasp nest? Inspired by the design of a potter wasp’s nest, this prototype eco-friendly housing unit could provide a home for humans at a time of exponential population increase and lack of affordable housing. Coming soon to a neighborhood near you.
Biotech company 3D-prints a miniature human heart from stem cells
It's not science fiction anymore: 3D-printing a human heart is now a reality. A company called Biolife4D has developed the technology to print human cardiac tissue by collecting blood cells from a patient and converting these cells to a type of stem cell called Induced Pluripotent Stem (iPS) cells.
How Moots uses 3D printing to build titanium bikes that last a lifetime
Founded in 1981, Moots has made a name for itself building titanium bikes that last a lifetime. It now uses 3D printing in its design and production, pushing its exotic cycles further into the future. We spent some time with Moots to find out how a new titanium bike goes from concept to the road.
Thought-controlled robotic hand can play games of rock-paper-scissors
Researchers at Japan’s Hiroshima University have developed a robotic prosthetic hand, controllable using only a wearer’s thoughts. The low-cost 3D-printed creation can perform a wide variety of hand gestures, and even engage in a game of rock-paper-scissors. Check it out.
Can’t afford this $150 tripod head? Just 3D print the Edelkrone Ortak FlexTilt
Edelkrone's FlexTilt tripod head retails for about $150 — or you could 3D print your own with a $30 part kit and the cost of materials. The Edelkrone Ortak FlexTilt Head 3D is a 3D-printed tripod head, but it's also just the first in a line of new 3D-printed accessories.
Custom 3D-printed heads let doctors practice delicate brain procedures
The highly skilled radiotherapists who operate to remove brain tumors could still benefit from being able to practice on specific patients ahead of time. That's where a new 3D-printed head, created using a patient's actual CT scans, comes into play. Here's how it works.
Ikea creates lineup of 3D-printed accessibility accessories for gamers
Unyq, a company that specializes in 3D-printed medical wearables, is partnering with Ikea for a collection of accessibility-centered accessories for gamers. The lineup includes a mouse bungee, textured keycaps, and a biometric wristband that be customized via a scan of a person's hand.
Melting pesky lunar dust with a laser enables 3D printing of tools on the moon
Dust is a major problem for lunar expeditions. Not only is it harmful to astronaut's health, it also gums up devices and causes technological problems. But now scientists from Germany have come up with an idea to make use of dust: by melting it with a laser and using it to 3D-print tools and equipment.
Like a lens for audio, these metamaterial bricks bend, focus, and amplify sound
Want to beam an audio message to just one member of a crowd? Want an audience to get the same high-quality audio experience? An intriguing new metamaterials project from researchers in the U.K. could deliver exactly that. Here's how it all works -- and what happens next.
Breakthrough in bioprinting could enable 3D printing of replacement organs
A technique for bioprinting tissues allows scientists to create vascular networks like those used in the body to transport blood, air, and other fluids, in a step towards 3D-printing of organs. The scientists also released a video showing a lung-like air sac which can feed nutrients to nearby tissue.
Digital Trends Live: Drone delivery OK’d, Aerosmith’s immersive concert, and more
On today's DT Live, we talk about the FAA's drone delivery approval, the Hubble telescope's birthday, how geoengineering can help combat climate change, 3D printing and prosthetics, current identity management practices and how to strengthen them, and Aerosmith's immersive THX concert in Las Vegas.
How 3D printing has changed the world of prosthetic limbs forever
When he was 13 years old, Christophe Debard had his leg amputated. Jump forward to the present day, and his experiences have led him to create the startup Print My Leg. It offers open-source designs for 3D printed leg prostheses to whoever needs them. Welcome to a growing revolution.
Even a true rock god can’t smash this unbreakable 3D-printed metal guitar
Rock stars love to smash guitars. Geeky engineers love to build things using the latest high-tech materials and tools. What happens when both parties meet? Probably something like the unbreakable 3D-printed metal guitar recently developed by global engineering firm Sandvik.
Finalists from NASA’s 3D-printed Mars home challenge are out of this world
NASA has selected three finalists in its 3D-Printed Habitat Challenge, an ongoing competition to design sustainable shelters for the moon or Mars. The goal is to build the structures out of recourses found on-site so that missions won’t have to carry excess resources with them.
This new venture aims to 3D-print affordable tiny homes in a day
A stealthy new startup called Icon recently teamed up with a nonprofit that researches housing solutions to 3D-print a 350-square-foot tiny home in Austin, Texas that cost a fraction of the price of traditional building methods and offers proof-of-concept that technology can augment housing solutions.
A 3D printer the size of a small barn will produce entire homes in Saudi Arabia
If you’re looking for a 3D printer that can comfortably fit on the side of your desk, then Danish company Cobod International’s new 3D house printer probably isn’t for you. Capable of creating entire buildings, it's the world’s largest 3D printer for construction purposes.
Switzerland’s 3D-printed, robot-built DFAB House is open for research
The DFAB House at ETH Zurich university is using digital construction, 3D printing, and robot assembly units to transform how homes are built, test new building technologies, and make construction smarter and more sustainable.
3D printing snacks from food waste? Sounds gross, but it’s actually brilliant
A pair of entrepreneurs behind the startup Upprinting Food have come up with a way to help solve the world's food waste problem. They want to give old food a new lease of life by turning into a material which can be used for 3D printing new foodstuffs. Here's how it works.
Kickstarter campaign aims to help make 3D-printed space habitats for Mars
Mars X-House sounds like kind of reality TV show pitched somewhere between astronaut training and Big Brother. In fact, it’s an ambitious project to create a prototype future Mars habitat using 3D printing. And, thanks to a Kickstarter campaign, you can help be a part of it.
NASA’s ‘Refabricator’ lets astronauts recycle 3D-printed tools to make new ones
The International Space Station just received a fancy new gadget in the form of a Refabricator, an integrated recycler and 3D printer. It is designed to turn recyclable plastics into 3D printable material that can be used on long-haul space missions. Here's how it works.
U.K. company sets a record for world’s largest 3D-printed rocket engine
U.K. startup Orbex has unveiled the world’s largest 3D-printed rocket engine. The rocket is up to 30 percent lighter and 20 percent more efficient than other similarly sized rockets. It can also better withstand high temperature and pressure. Here's how it will be used.
Real-life version of Star Trek’s ‘replicator’ 3D prints full objects in seconds
Researchers from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and University of California, Berkeley, have developed a new type of 3D printer that ditches layer-by-layer printing in favor of using projected light to print entire objects at once. Here's how the new approach works.
Could satellites be 3D-printed in order to reduce space junk?
Scientists are becoming increasingly concerned about space junk -- the detritus orbiting around our planet left over from artificially created space objects. Now a researcher at MIT's Media Lab has spoken out about how satellite design could be improved to reduce space junk and make construction cheaper.
Researchers discover a way to make 3D printing 100 times faster using light
Researchers at the University of Michigan have invented a new method of 3D printing which is up to 100 times faster than conventional existing 3D-printing processes. Here's how it works, and why it could prove a game-changer for the way that 3D printing is currently used.
Where are they now? A look back at last year’s Top Tech of CES winners
What happened to the 14 prize-winning products we singled out as the coolest things we saw at last year's CES 2018? Join us as we take a look at what the past 12 months has meant for each one. Spoilers: They're still as awesome as they were on the day that we first met them.
Patient receives 3D-printed rib implant in breakthrough procedure
A patient in Bulgaria recently received one of the first 3D-printed rib transplants as part of a potentially lifesaving operation. It demonstrated a new approach to create artificial ribs, using a process that's both cheaper and materially superior to alternative methods.