MILK GONE SOUR?: A smart cap could one day be used to detect spoilage.
The possibilities of 3D-printing technology are being furthered with the development of a wireless "smart cap" that fits onto a milk carton and uses embedded sensors to detect signs of spoilage.
Engineers at the University of California, Berkeley, together with colleagues at Taiwan's National Chiao Tung University, have been working to expand the possibilities of 3D-printing technology, with the smart cap their latest step.
What had been missing until now, according to Berkeley News, was the ability to produce sensitive electric components.
The team published their findings in the journal Microsystems & Nanoengineering.
"Our paper describes the first demonstration of 3D printing for working basic electrical components, as well as a working wireless sensor," said senior author Liwei Lin. "One day, people may simply download 3D-printing files from the Internet with customised shapes and colours and print out useful devices at home." — AFP Relaxnews
