As the Internet of Things or IoT becomes popular in mainstream consciousness, connected objects and devices are the holy grail for most companies and researchers. Researchers at Microsoft MSFT +1.04% may have taken the first step in building an IoT ecosystem for 3D printing.
Andy Wilson
At this year’s SIGGRAPH conference for computer graphics and interactive machinery in Anaheim, California, Lead researcher Andy Wilson and his associate Karl Willis presented a paper that proposed a technique to embed informationinto objects during the digital fabrication process. The project – called InfraStructs – “pioneers techniques for reading unique identifiers embedded within 3D printed objects.”
In simple words, this means that you can introduce all sorts of information in multiple formats into an object during its production process. As an example, Wilson says users can integrate URLs into an object during the production process. These URLs can be used for further processing or instructions when that object encounters other 3D printed objects.
The applications of this technology are wide-ranging. For example, mobile robots are constrained in their motion and object detection currently. This is due to the complexity of negotiating their way around objects of varying sizes and complexity. As an example, Wilson says it would be difficult for robots to detect power receptacles. A 3D printed ecosystem, where each object contains significant information about other objects, will help improve the robot ecosystem. Similarly, the technology can also be used for further authentication.
If the technology sounds vaguely familiar, then it is.
A variety of similar new technologies, such as Radio Frequency Identification Codes (or, RFID) and QR codes, clutter the aisles department stores or enable security access to office workers. However, these technologies require the addition of an external device or “disruption of visual appearance” as Wilson puts it. For example, RFID technology requires additional security cards or keys. Similarly, QR codes proliferate through the use of stickers. What’s more, they require placement of devices at specific angles and proximity for processing. This introduces friction into the process.
According to Wilson, InfraStructs eliminates these requirements because information is already encoded into an object during the production process. Thus, interaction between objects is independent of external devices or appendages.
For all their disadvantages, however, RFID and QR codes can be tacked onto existing objects. This approach has its benefits in a world consisting of multiple products and systems. InfraStructs, however, requires object reinvention with embedded identifiers.
Part of the problem is due to the absence of popular applications of Terahertz technology, the internal imaging technology used to construct identifiers. Other imaging technologies have popular mainstream applications. Multispectral imaging, for example, has a similar use case to Terahertz and is used in popular technology applications such as Kinect to detect motion. Similarly, millimeter wave scanning technology is used in airport scanners (Yes, the very same infamous TSA scanners). Terahertz technology, in contrast, is yet to find a significant popular application.
However, Wilson and his team have outlined a potentially useful application of their technology for 3D printing service companies, such as Shapeways and iMaterialise. They can use InfraStructs to streamline operations and make their processes efficient. For example, their current processes involve manufacture of dozens of 3D printed objects, which, subsequently, require manual sorting. Embedding objects with the sender’s information and address could automate and simplify the sorting process. There are two ways this can be done, according to Wilson. For example, users can integrate this information during the design process itself by using a simple Save Asfunction to include their information and a unique identifier.
Alternately, 3D printing service companies can add unique identifiers during further object processing.
Shapeways, are you listening?
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