Shape-shifting Meets 3D Printed Objects

MIT and collaborators have come up with a way to create 3D printed structures that "remember" their original shape despite being bent.

As if 3D printing isn't cool enough, there’s new research underway to produce  3D structures that can “remember” their original shape despite being bent or twisted at extreme angles.

An article in Tech Times describes efforts by collaborators at MIT and the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) to use light to print special 3D structures, which within seconds of being heated to a specific temperature, bounced right back to their original form. The scientists devised a method called microstereolithography to print micron-scale features, which a co-author of the research, Qi “Kevin” G, described as essential for printing 3D memory-shape polymers intended to change shape and form when confronted with external stimuli such as light, electricity or heat.

Such memory-shape structures could be used in myriad applications, the researchers say, from drug delivery services to actuators that shift solar panels toward the sun.

About the Author

Beth Stackpole, contributing writer | Contributing Editor, Automation World

Beth Stackpole is a veteran journalist covering the intersection of business and technology, from the early days of personal computing to the modern era of digital transformation. As a contributing editor to Automation World, Beth's coverage traverses a range of industries and technologies, including AI/machine learning, analytics, automation hardware and software, cloud, security, edge computing, and supply chain. In addition to her high-tech and business journalism work, Beth writes an array of custom editorial content and thought leadership pieces.

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