"We're interested in making accessible assistive technology with 3D printing, but we have no easy way to know how people are using it," said Professor Jennifer Mankoff of UW. "Could we come up with a circuitless solution that could be printed on consumer-grade, off-the-shelf printers and allow the device itself to collect information? That's what we showed was possible in this paper."
Previously, the team developed the first 3D printed objects that connect to Wi-Fi without electronics. These purely plastic devices can measure if a detergent bottle is running low and then automatically order more online.
"Using plastic for these applications means you don't have to worry about batteries running out or your device getting wet. That can transform the way we think of computing," said Associate Professor
