Manufacturing

NBC Mach’s Denise Chow writes about MIT research being done to develop color-changing, 3D printed clothing using UV light. “We wanted to know, how can we update the color of an object at any time?” said Prof. Stephanie Mueller.

Kaya Yurieff reports for CNN that CSAIL researchers have developed a system that allows the colors of 3-D printed objects to be altered after they have been fabricated. Prof. Stefanie Mueller explains that, “this sort of technology could help minimize the amount of waste that is produced from updating products."

TechCrunch reporter Brian Heater writes that MIT researchers have created a new system that allows users to change the color of 3-D printed objects. Heater explains that researchers, “are looking to bring color-changing properties to the 3D-printing process in an attempt to help reduce material waste.”

Marc Bain of Quartz reports that CSAIL researchers have created a system that changes the color of 3-D printed objects using UV light. The researchers hope this system will allow consumers to, “quickly match accessories to outfits, or let retail stores switch the color of clothing or other items on the spot for customers,” explains Bain. 

CSAIL researchers have developed a method that allows the color of 3-D printed objects to change after they have been printed, writes Emily Matchar for Smithsonian. The method uses, “UV light to change the pixels on an object from transparent to colored, and then a regular office projector to turn them from colored to transparent,” explains Prof. Stefanie Mueller.

Wired reporter Arielle Pardes Gear writes that CSAIL researchers have developed a new system, called ColorFab, that makes it possible to change the color of 3-D printed objects after they have been created. ColorFab allows users to change an object’s color, “by returning to the ColorFab interface, selecting the areas to recolor, and then activating those areas with UV light.”

Scientific American reporter Prachi Patel writes that a new study by Prof. Elsa Olivetti found that demand for cobalt, which is critical to electric vehicle batteries, could soon outstrip supply. “The best lithium battery cathodes [negative electrodes] all contain cobalt, and its production is limited,” Olivetti explains. 

Reporting for WBUR on the future of digital fabrication, Bruce Gellerman highlights a solar-powered architectural robot developed by MIT researchers. The robot can quickly design and build shelters for use in disaster-response situations or space exploration using a 3-D printing process. 

Writing about the future of clothing and fabrics, Kara Yurieff highlights the programmable material developed by the Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA). The organization, which aims to “change what fabrics do,” according to Prof. Yoel Fink, will soon allow sports fans to scan jerseys at games to view player stats.

Martin Finucane of The Boston Globe reports that MIT researchers are developing a method to allow oil and water to mix. Using a combination of a surfactant and condensation, “tiny water droplets form on the surface that sink into the oil and stay mixed for months, rather than separating in just a few minutes,” explains Finucane. 

BostInno’s Karis Hustad spotlights how Solve tackles some of the world’s most pressing challenges. “You need a different type of innovation or technology or adaptation and affordability of technology for some of the big challenges of today,” explains Alexandra Amouyel, Solve's executive director. “To do that, you need a much more bottom up, grassroots innovation process.”

In an article for The Washington Post, Research Scientist Ashley Nunes examines a recent trade dispute involving Boeing Co. and Bombardier, Inc. Nunes explains that the dispute, “has fueled tensions among the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.”

Aaron Schrank reports for Marketplace that the textile industry is experiencing a revival as it creates more technologically advanced fabrics. Schrank highlights the Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA) Institute, led by Prof. Yoel Fink, where researchers have developed programmable backpacks that should be able to “send you an email when they get lost."

In this Wired video, Adam Savage visits Prof. Neil Gershenfeld for a tour of the Center for Bits and Atoms. Savage explains that researchers at the Center for Bits and Atoms are working on developing the future of manufacturing, and “it’s not additive or subtractive, it’s biological. They are developing machines that can make machines that can make machines.”

This CNN video highlights the new programmable backpack unveiled during the grand opening of the AFFOA headquarters in Cambridge. MIT alumnus Tairan Wang, COO of AFFOA, explains that the backpack is made with a programmable fabric that allows users to share information. The technology addresses how people initially connect, Wang explains.