This week in 3D printing, we found the lock-picker’s kryptonite, suited up for intergalactic adventures, found some 3D prints that bring us to our knees, and broke a brand-new kind of glass ceiling.
Stop Copying Me
With 3D printing’s ability to hide complex structures inside smooth containers, keys seem like an obvious place to take the technology. Normal keys are easily scanned using just a smartphone, but hiding the grooves and ridges from sight would address that gaping security hole. As The Economist reported this week, Swiss scientist Dr. Alejandro Ojeda has created the first Stealth Key based on that concept. The only catch? Losing your keys means awaiting a 3D printed copy of your one and only unique key. So stock up or get (locked) out.
Space Knights on Mars!
Chain mail (metal fabric like knights wore, not the email you have to forward to six people “or else”) has been around for almost 2000 years. But, as far as we know, it’s never made a trip to space. Maybe it was just waiting to be rebranded “space fabric” — as NASA has now done. They’re even taking it a step further and calling it “4D printed material.” Four dimensions? Ok, the fourth is kind of made up, and it’s “functionality,” meaning that the function of the fabric can be changed for each print. We can do that too, but we’ll let NASA have this one. For space.
Take a Knee
One of the hardest things about fixing people’s knees is replacing cartilage. It’s not really a thing that’s easy to imitate, especially if it’s being put to the ultimate test of strength, cushioning every single step you take. As SiliconRepublic reported, we now have an app for that. App, as in “application of 3D printing.” Scientists at Duke University have created a hydrogel-based, cartilage-mimicking material that is the first to truly imitate the real stuff in strength and elasticity. But don’t worry, fully 3D printed people (à la Westworld) are still on the other side of the sci-fi/reality divide. FOR NOW.
Shattering Expectations
The Grey Lady decided to report on our very distinguished “three-dimensional printing” world, bringing us the story of Bastian Rapp at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, who is breaking things breaking new ground in the as-yet-unperfected world of 3D printed glass. Not to mention a glass ceiling we hadn’t even thought of yet.