From Star Trek's replicators to Richie Rich's wishing machine, popular culture has a long history of parading flashy machines that can instantly output any item to a user's delight. While 3D printers have now made it possible to produce a range of objects that include product models, jewelry, and novelty toys, we still lack the ability to fabricate more complex devices that are essentially ready-to-go right out of the printer. A group from MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) recently developed a new system to print functional, custom-made devices and robots, without human intervention. Their single system uses a three-ingredient recipe that lets users create structural geometry, print traces, and assemble electronic components like sensors and actuators. "LaserFactory" has two parts that work in harmony: a software toolkit that allows users to design custom devices, and a hardware platform that fabricates them.

Researchers from MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) have created a system that can build fully functional drones, robots and other electronic devices by itself. As the name suggests, LaserFactory is built around a laser cutter in a two-part setup involving a software package for designing devices and a machine that brings them to life. Users can design a device with components from a library, add circuit traces (i.e. the electrical lines on a circuit board) and make some tweaks with a 2D editor. Once you're happy with your creation, the software sends the directions to the LaserFactory hardware. Along with the laser cutter, the system includes a device that prints the circuitry and puts together components.