Innovation of the week: An ingenious 3-D printer
This new 3-D printer can turn just about anything into a digital device

A new 3-D printer can turn just about anything into a digital device, said Mike Murphy at Quartz. The Voxel8, designed by a group of Harvard scientists, uses a proprietary, electrically conductive printing material "about the consistency of peanut butter" to print circuits directly into an object.
The technology, developed in the university's material-science lab, has already been used to print a working quadcopter drone and could conceivably print a computer's motherboard. Next up, the designers hope to add other materials, like epoxies, silicone, and ceramics, so that users can eventually print things as varied as "batteries, a web-connected cereal bowl, or even a pair of shoes loaded with sensors." A developer's model is available for preorder for $9,000, with a consumer version to follow soon.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Kim Ju Ae: North Korea’s next leader?
The Explainer Kim Jong Un’s young daughter is being seen as his ‘recognised heir’ following a high-profile public appearance at China summit
-
Is the UK government getting too close to Big Tech?
Today’s Big Question US-UK tech pact, supported by Nvidia and OpenAI, is part of Silicon Valley drive to ‘lock in’ American AI with US allies
-
Russia’s war games and the threat to Nato
In depth Incursion into Poland and Zapad 2025 exercises seen as a test for Europe