A new type of 3D printer can turn yarn into soft, cuddly objects. 3-D printing typically uses metals and plastics, although researchers are also using them to make food stuff, tissue and body parts. Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University who designed the new printer say they wanted to extend 3D printing to a new class of materials for making objects that people would interact with.
The device is a kind of printer-sewing machine hybrid. It takes designs from a computer and converts them into 3D objects using a loose felt material. The resulting objects are similar to hand-knitted versions
via IEEE Spectrum
Image: Disney Research
