A Buggy 3D Printer
Who needs PLA when you've got beetles? This 3D printer does its printing with bugs, because science.
You didn’t really think that 3D printers are just for making Pikachu models and the occasional spare part, did you? If you are willing to get creative — and void your warranty — they are capable of much more. Given the extreme precision of the print head movement, as well as the speed and programmability of these printers, they are a short leap away from being a CNC machine, pick-and-place machine, laser cutter, or a robotic arm.
With a bit of work, a 3D printer can even be transformed into a customized instrument that has never been heard of before. Like, for example, a dead bug mover-o-matic. OK, so I made up the name, but that is essentially what a group of researchers at the University of Minnesota needed. To support their work in bioimaging, cybernetics, and cryopreservation, they needed an automated solution to pick up and move bugs and other small creatures, both dead and alive, from one location to another. For those not accustomed to manual bug sorting, it apparently takes up a lot of time and is not the most sought-after role on the team.
To build the dead bug mover-o-matic … err … the aspiration-assisted adaptive printing system, the team started with a high-performance three-axis positioning system. To this, they added a machine vision system consisting of a camera, specialized lenses, and a lighting system. A laser sensor was also installed, in addition to a set of pneumatic nozzles. The hardware was connected to a nearby computer to provide for processing and control.
The machine vision system runs a real-time algorithm that locates and tracks any organisms of interest, whether they are stationary or on the move. Once identified, the positioning system moves to the location of an organism of interest. In conjunction with the laser sensor, which determines how far away the creature is, the pneumatic nozzle lowers to snatch it up by creating suction. The vision system then instructs the positioning system to move the animal to the desired destination before releasing it.
After running a number of experiments, it was demonstrated that this automated system was about twelve times faster than a human manually performing the same task. The printer also proved to be more accurate and consistent in the results it produced.
Looking ahead, the team plans to continue refining their technology to make it even better. They also hope to find ways to make it more portable so that it is practical to use in the field.
R&D, creativity, and building the next big thing you never knew you wanted are my specialties.