By Edd Gent – IEEE Spectrum –
Multimaterial 3D-printing approach produces functional devices in a single shot
A skeletal robotic hand with working ligaments and tendons can now be 3D-printed in one run. The creepy accomplishment was made possible by a new approach to additive manufacturing that can print both rigid and elastic materials at the same time in high resolution.
The new work is the result of a collaboration between researchers at ETH Zurich in Switzerland and a Massachusetts Institute of Technology spin-out called Inkbit, based in Medford, Mass. The group has devised a new 3D inkjet-printing technique capable of using a wider range of materials than previous devices.