All articles tagged with #3d printing
Researchers at Southern Illinois University Carbondale used CRISPR-edited yeast to convert PET plastic and plant byproducts into edible components, which are then 3D-printed into cookies called μBites. While the approach could aid food security and long-duration space missions, it remains expensive and far from scalable as a solution to global plastic waste.
A project called Camera Things introduces a sliding, rubber-band–driven shutter for a 3D-printed half-frame camera, enabling variable exposure by partially opening the shutter; the files aren’t released yet, but skilled CAD designers could replicate the concept.
A Pokopia player (Reddit user ArcadiaCitizen_) uncovers a workaround to recruit limited-time Pokémon without altering the Switch 2’s clock. By accessing a cloud island with the Mysterious Goggles, using Pokopia’s 3D printer at Pokémon Centers, and crafting needed items (requiring Pokémetal and a Nintendo Switch Online membership), players can spawn rarer Pokémon like Jumpluff, Sableye, and Jirachi. The island code used is 6DXL PD6F. The discovery adds to ongoing debate about time-limited recruitment in Pokopia and whether these exploits were intended by developers.
A 97-year-old inventor in Rickmansworth, Malcolm Stern, has nearly completed a humanoid robot named Toby using 3D printing, but worsening eyesight prevents him from fixing its ankle; his daughter is seeking a computer engineer/robotics expert to help finish the project, which could serve as an educational tool for children.
A Maker’s Muse fire-test examines how different 3D printing filaments burn: PLA ignites readily and burns with a dirty flame, HTPLA resists ignition, PETG is hard to ignite, ABS/ASA burn with a sooty yellow flame, and TPU is the least flammable (though foam TPU can burn more aggressively). The results suggest choosing PETG and TPU to minimize fire hazards, with burn behavior largely influenced by filament additives and formulation.
Researchers report SHIFT, a new extrusion-based method that converts discrete hydrogel particles into aligned subvoxel microfibers during printing, producing highly anisotropic fibers (5–30 μm) in situ. Demonstrated with a dual-phase gelatin–poloxamer ink, SHIFT enables integration into 3D bioprinting and microfibre spinning, supporting long myotube formation in vitro and accelerated skeletal muscle regeneration in volumetric muscle loss models.
An inventor builds the Scanwheel, a handheld POV TV that uses a Raspberry Pi Pico, an A4988 motor driver, LEDs, and a small stepper motor to spin a disk with holes; by timing the LEDs, it creates a 20×20 color display in the center and two 20×20 black-and-white displays on the sides, all housed in a 3D-printed case and running at about 900 RPM, showcasing a compact persistence-of-vision display.
A community member has uploaded 3D-printable files to Printables so you can 3D print a Companion Cube-style case for the Steam Machine, offering a DIY alternative after dBrand’s unauthorized case was pulled. The design closely resembles the original with additional variants, and assembly requires magnets, screws, inserts, superglue, a soldering iron, tweezers, screwdrivers, and multiple filament colors, plus videos and instructions. It’s not as easy as buying a finished case, but provides a viable option for those who missed out.
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign researchers have developed a 3D-printed, aluminum-rubber lattice cloak that guides heat around objects, effectively erasing their infrared signatures from all directions and even cloaking complex shapes like a human head, with potential applications in microchip cooling and defense; the work, published in Nature Communications, signals a new approach to omnidirectional thermal cloaking.
A Hackaday piece highlights RetroGameRevival’s release of the RGR ezBuff, a 3D-printed, open-source disk polisher that buffs scratches off optical discs. While it can revive disks, users must avoid aggressive polishing to prevent irreparable damage, a timely tool as physical media remains valuable with Sony stepping back from disc production.
Valve has uploaded a complete DIY package for the Steam Machine's front e-ink faceplate to GitHub, including 3D-printable CAD files, a hardware list, assembly guides, firmware for the ESP32, and setup instructions. After assembling, users can flash the firmware and connect via Bluetooth; Valve plans an official Steam app in the future, with an AppImage available from GitHub. The faceplate can display real-time hardware stats and custom images, enabling a personalized Steam Machine.
AMD engineer Jacob Terkelsen unveiled the Terk Box v1.1, a 3D-printed Mini-ITX PC packed with an RTX 5060, Ryzen 5 5500, 16GB RAM, and 512GB NVMe for around $1,000; it outperforms Valve's Steam Machine, but SteamOS GPU support means it currently runs Windows 11 or a Linux distro until NVIDIA support lands, with v1.1 adding rear ventilation to curb thermal throttling.
Researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder and Columbia University found that adding a tiny amount (0.12%) of the seaweed-derived biopolymer sodium alginate to local clay and sand dramatically improves 3D printability and strength of earthen structures, enabling 33% faster printing and 25% higher load resistance. The approach allows onsite soil recycling, reduces reliance on concrete, and could spur discovery of other natural polymers to boost durability of 3D-printed earthen walls.
Reports indicate Apple’s iPhone Ultra 3D-printed hinge problems have been resolved after extensive durability testing, with the hinge suppliers moving the foldable into test production. If all goes smoothly, mass production could begin ahead of a September unveiling and quick sale, easing previous concerns about delays.
Vox analyzes Vladimir Putin’s $26 billion longevity program, detailing plans to replace organs with lab-made tissues and genetically engineered mini pigs, plus the use of cryo chambers, all spearheaded by Putin and his inner circle (including his daughter Maria Vorontsova). The piece frames how Russia’s autocratic system is funding a quest to extend life amid demographic decline and ongoing war, a bold but uncertain pursuit with broad implications for power and public health.