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3D print wireless sensors can Connect Objects

Now 3D print wireless sensors objects can connect with other devices with Wi-Fi

If you think of world where every electronic device is connected with one but without any electronic entanglements then it isn’t farfetched. A team of scientists has been successful in creating such 3D print wireless sensors in plastic form boasting unique 3D print wireless sensors which don’t really need electronic for Wi-Fi to connect with other electronic devices. In other words these 3D printed objects don’t have any additional electronic component onboard which helps in establishing connection with the Wi-Fi. On the contrary they can easily sense can sense the respective need of the user and can connect with the Wi-Fi to do the needful without much of human intervention.

3D print wireless sensors Making fiction a reality

The way these sensors work seems to be plucked right out of the science fiction flick. It can allow bottle of detergents to sense whether they are full or running low and then it can connect online on its own to place an order. The researchers from the University of Washington had become the very first team to come up with 3D print wireless sensors in plastic objects which has the ability to collect data and communicate with other devices on Wi-Fi automatically.

Creating smart 3D print wireless sensors objects

Their goal was to allow millions of users worldwide to create smart objects right out of their 3D print wireless sensors without mush hassle. But the major challenge faced by them to create such 3D print wireless sensors which allows such objects to communicate wirelessly without even having any electrical components but just a plastic body.

In order to build such smart 3D printed objects which can communicate with other devices as well as commercial Wi-Fi receivers this team came up with a noble solution. They made us of the backscatter techniques which allows device to exchange information with one another. This was achieved by replacing some of the function which are achieved through electrical components right to the mechanical motions. These motions are specifically achieved by the use of gears, springs, switches and other intricate parts and of it can be 3D printed and can be backed with the 3D print wireless sensors to get the desired tasks performed.

Developing intelligent tools and widgets

This team of researchers has already 3 –D printed a number of different tools equipped with 3D print wireless sensors which can sense and send information to other devices. The devices printed by the team are a scale, wind meter and a water flow meter. The most unique device had been the water flow meter which was effectively utilized to track as well as order laundry soaps successfully in varied tests.

Apart from making these tools researchers had also created some 3D printed Wi-Fi input widgets like knobs, sliders and buttons which can be easily customized just like the tools. It can be designed to communicate with other devices over the Wi-Fi and it can be easily integrated within the ‘Internet-of-Things’ or so called smart devices. This will eventually help in creating a seamless connectivity between varied smart devices and enhance the experience of the users.

Tags : SensorstechnologyWireless
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