| Researchers at Washington University developed 3D printed plastic objects and sensors to collect data and communicate with WiFi-connected devices without electronics, and the researchers released the objects as free-download CAD models. How do you use plastic only for wireless communication with WiFi? This question has drawn the interest of a group of researchers at the University of Washington who have now come up with a clever way to turn seemingly ordinary 3D printed objects into fully connected intelligence The most impressive thing about these objects is that they do not require any electronic devices.  In a research paper published at the Computer Society's SIGGRAPH Asian Computer Graphics and Interactive Technology Conference and Exhibition, the researchers explained how plastic 3D printed objects communicate with commercial WiFi receivers and turn ordinary home appliances into Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity systems . According to Vikram Iyer, research paper and co-lead author of a UW electrical engineering doctoral student, "Our goal is to create something that has just come out of our home 3D printer and send useful information to other devices. The secret of these unusual plastic objects is the use of backscatter technology to make the device exchange information.The process involves the use of an antenna to transmit data by reflecting radio signals transmitted by a WiFi router or other electronic device. In other words, while plastic devices do not propagate any information, they do contain mutable modes that hold embedded information and can be read by wireless electronic devices like WiFi routers. The antennas in these 3D printed items are made of plastic, copper conductive printed wire embedded in a 3D printed object. This means that researchers can turn non-electronic products into convenient WiFi connectivity tools: a laundry detergent lid that detects when you do not have soap (and place an order to be replaced), a battery-free slider to control the volume of your music Or automatically order food online button. These devices and sensors use physical motion to gather information. Gears and springs in 3D printed objects are triggered by pressing a button or moving a slider, etc. These mechanical changes trigger the conductive switch to intermittently connect or disconnect the antenna to In the process change its reflection state. These simple pinions and springs can even calculate things automatically using binary data, such as the amount of detergent in the bottle. Shyam Gollakota, a senior author and associate professor at the computer science department at Paul G. Allen, explains: 'For example, when you pour the detergent out of a detergent bottle, the speed of gear rotation tells you how much soap flows out Science and Engineering. 3D Print Switch and antenna interaction wirelessly transmit data. ' Other 3D printing tools that researchers make include anemometers, water flow meters and scales, and test tubes that measure the amount of liquid in the tubes. Static information, such as barcodes and instructions, can also be embedded in 3D printed objects using plastic wire, allowing quick inventory checking in stores and other environments. For non-automated tasks that require manual entry, researchers also 3D-print a variety of WiFi controls such as buttons, knobs, and sliders, all of which can be customized to communicate with other smart devices. As a whole, researchers say their range of 3D printed objects, sensors and controls can be combined to form an ecosystem of 'chat objects.' And, it seems that how you use plastic to communicate with WiFi. |
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