MobiPrint: The Autonomous 3D Printer That Could Revolutionize Accessibility

All 3D printers, despite the diversity of technology, must be anchored in one place to print. They can, of course, be transported from place to place, but always by humans: none of them have a mechanism that allows them to travel independently to the printing location. With the MobiPrint, that has changed.

Aiming to overcome current technological barriers, a group of researchers at the University of Washington came up with a very innovative desktop-sized 3D printer: the MobiPrint. This printer allows people to create their objects at home, but it also has autonomous movement so it can arrive and print independently in a predetermined location. MobiPrint automatically measures the perimeter of a room and prints objects directly on the floor. The team, led by Daniel Campos Zamor, presented the MobiPrint project at the ACM’s Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology in Pittsburgh. The project, funded by the National Science Foundation, also featured Liang He, an assistant professor at Purdue University and former doctoral student at the Allen School.

Structure of MobiPrint.

The Innovative Characteristics of MobiPrint

What are the innovative features of this new 3D printer? The system consists of a modified Prusa Mini+ 3D printer mounted on a Roborock S5 robot vacuum cleaner. With a graphic user interface designed by the team, users can draw objects in the spaces mapped by the robot. The printer uses the open-source Valetudo software that makes use of a LiDAR, Light Detection And Ranging, system to map the surrounding environment. The system is the same used by domestic robot vacuum cleaners that clean our homes. MobiPrint can print on surfaces such as carpet, vinyl and hardwood floors, with dimensions up to 180x180x65 mm.