Smart plastic from a printer
Engineers in the US developed the first plastic object that can collect useful data wirelessly. They’re capable of printing out and printing new devices, too!
Dr. Holmes and his team are developing parts for 3D printing, which means they can develop new and advantageous designs for the generation of renewable energy. The new system allows the use of the internet wirelessly when it’s nearby a Wi-Fi router or other device. The antenna can be found in this object that’s made of plastic and copper. A press on a button or the flow of soap from a plastic container sets off the mechanical parts of the printed plastic, which in turn sends out wireless messages to your Wi-Fi. When the plastic detergent container “realizes” it’s running low on soap, it will automatically order more via the internet.
Plastic connected to WiFi?
Attention to detail: this plastic bottle contains no electronic components, yet it connects to the home Wi-Fi network! “No one has ever achieved wireless WiFi communication with plastic before, but now a South Korean engineer says his team has done just that. It is proving difficult to manufacture the necessary materials for the process,” said Ayer.
Researchers from the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Washington, led by Vikram Iyer made an announcement. At the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) SIGGRAPH International Conference presented their estimates. Sometime in the next few years people will be able to print plastic objects at home. Even in the office will “talk” wirelessly to other “smart” devices.
The researchers were able to 3D-print “sensors” that had input, output and wireless capabilities. They built a scale, a test tube and an anemometer from hydrogel that would collect data and send it via Bluetooth to other devices in their lab.
If you liked this article, then you might also enjoy this one.
Author: PC-GR
The World of Technology
