morphsensor
Electronic design tool morphs interactive objects
We've come a long way since the first 3D-printed item came to us by way of an eye wash cup, to now being able to rapidly fabricate things like car parts, musical instruments, and even biological tissues and organoids. While much of these objects can be freely designed and quickly made, the addition of electronics to embed things like sensors, chips, and tags usually requires that you design both separately, making it difficult to create items where the added functions are easily integrated with the form. Now, a 3D design environment from MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) lets users iterate an object's shape and electronic function in one cohesive space, to add existing sensors to early-stage prototypes. The team tested the system, called MorphSensor, by modeling an N95 mask with a humidity sensor, a temperature-sensing ring, and glasses that monitor light absorption to protect eye health. MorphSensor automatically converts electronic designs into 3D models, and then lets users iterate on the geometry and manipulate active sensing parts.