Researchers from MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL), Zhejiang University, and Tsinghua University have developed a new approach for 3D printing objects capable of humanlike movement. Called “Xstrings,” the method automates the fabrication of cable-driven assemblies that can bend, coil, screw, and compress.
Such devices are traditionally difficult to produce because the cable must be manually embedded throughout the object. However, the Xstrings method leverages multi-material FDM 3D printing to embed cables directly within the structure in a single step, eliminating manual assembly requirements. The team has also developed a digital design tool that allows users to generate 3D print files of cable-driven…