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MIT Researcher Demos Self-Assembling Objects

Posted by Unknown on from the grey-goo-scenario dept.

iONiUM writes "From the article: 'Many are only just getting their heads around the idea of 3D printing but scientists at MIT are already working on an upgrade: 4D printing. At the TED conference in Los Angeles, architect and computer scientist Skylar Tibbits showed how the process allows objects to self-assemble.' There could be many applications for this. Definitely a cool step forward." Pictures and video of the process.

7 of 69 comments (clear)

  1. Hasn't anyone watched SG-1 or Atlantis? by TheRealQuestor · · Score: 5, Funny

    This cannot end well

  2. so its a sponge on a string? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    good luck with the investors, I have some self assembling robot animals to sell you

  3. Industrial Origami is way ahead by Animats · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Industrial Origami, Inc. is way ahead here. They have a set of techniques for designing punched sheet metal parts which then bend to fold up neatly into boxes or other desired forms. The folded surfaces bend precisely, even when bent by hand. The edges meet and lock together. I've folded up one of their electrical boxes, which comes as a flat sheet ready for hand folding.

    It's all done with clever design and finite element analysis to get the bend points to behave in a repeatable way. What they sell is design software for doing this.

    1. Re:Industrial Origami is way ahead by GNUALMAFUERTE · · Score: 4, Informative

      I've been watching videos of this tech for the past 20 minutes. Most are just CGI concepts of a certain folding product. Those that have been actually filmed, are heavily edited, with cuts after each fold, some are also accelerated 4x.

      Something tells me this tech doesn't work as well as they say it does.

      Nothing is as fishy as not showing at least one honest video with no editing of the actual product.

      --
      WTF am I doing replying to an AC at 5 A.M on a Friday night?
  4. 4D printing? by a_hanso · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Unless you're printing into the past and future, how is this 4D?

  5. Basic test to qualify as a 4D printer... by Y.A.A.P. · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Assemble a tesseract.

    If it can't do that, it's not a 4D printer, it's just hype about a different 3D printing method.

    1. Re:Basic test to qualify as a 4D printer... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      Oh that's easy.

      You have to pulverize obsidian and smelt it with lead to get hardened glass, then assemble tin, hardened glass, and diamonds to get the tesseract frame. Then you have to melt down some ender pearls and fill the frame with the molten ender to get an unattuned tesseract. Then you pile in a servo, some silver ingots, and some lead, copper, tin, or electrum ingots to round out the exact tesseract you need.

      Wait... you were talking about Minecraft mods, weren't you? No? Damn...

      (And in case you're still struggling with figuring out WTF I'm talking about: clicky thing.)