harvard researchers develop 3D printed robotic lamp that self-assembles

harvard researchers develop 3D printed robotic lamp that self-assembles
image courtesy wyss institute for biologically inspired engineering/harvard university

a team of researchers from the wyss institute for biologically inspired engineering at harvard university, have developed a 3D printed robotic lamp capable of self-assembling. presented at the IEEE international conference on robotics and automation (ICRA), the proof-of-concept lamp can be printed on demand, folds itself, and includes both a mechanical switch and a capacitive touch sensor. because the lamp is made of shape-memory polymers, thin layers of copper, and layers of paper and foam, it can go from one state to another with only a slight temperature change. it starts out as a flat sheet and triggered by heat, it folds up into a box.

the lamp, including the shape-memory polymers, structure, mechanical switch, most of the wiring, and even the capacitive touch sensors were 3D printed. according to the research team, ‘the self-assembling lamp demonstrates the potential for the rapid and inexpensive production of self-folding machines that can interact with the environment. it showed that even complex mechanisms, such as the mechanical switch, can be integrated into the self-folding process of a larger machine, and utilized in practical electronic circuits.’

the lamp is made of shape-memory polymers, thin layers of copper, and layers of paper and foam