Someone merged a 3D printer and a vacuum robot into a mobile 3D printer that can print on virtually any flat surface, including your floor
- The MobiPrint robot autonomously prints designs directly onto floors
- Developed for accessibility, inspired by tactile markers for navigation
- Future plans include AI for larger, customizable on-site printing
Imagine a 3D printer that can print creations exactly where you need them. That’s the idea behind it MobiPrinta mobile 3D printing robot developed by Daniel Campos Zamora at the University of Washington.
This innovative device navigates autonomously around a room, prints designs directly onto floors or other surfaces, and offers “a new system combining robotics and 3D printing that could actually print in the real world,” Campos Zamora shared. IEEE spectrum.
MobiPrint, unveiled at the ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology, introduces a new level of flexibility in 3D printing. The system consists of a custom Prusa Mini+ 3D printer mounted on a Roborock S5 vacuum robot, which uses the open source software Valetudo to autonomously map the environment, allowing users to view and control the path locally without having to rely on the cloud.
Park and print
MobiPrint can print on carpet, hardwood and vinyl in dimensions up to 180 x 180 x 65mm and has already been used to produce items such as pet bowls, signage and tactile markings, demonstrating its practical versatility.
The inspiration for MobiPrint came from accessibility needs. Campos Zamora’s laboratory focuses on creating aids to assist visually impaired users. “One of the things that really inspired this project was looking at the tangible surface indicators that help blind and visually impaired users find their way around a space,” he explained to IEEE spectrum. By printing these indicators directly on site, MobiPrint can facilitate navigation in frequently changing indoor spaces.
Currently, MobiPrint operates in a “park and print” mode, which requires it to remain stationary while printing, limiting the ability to create larger designs. However, Campos Zamora plans to expand the functionality to print larger, continuous objects, track users to print accessibility markers along their path, or even use AI to suggest print locations.
While the robot may seem unconventional, and certainly seems rudimentary in its current form, the technology has the potential to make 3D printing more accessible and versatile, allowing spaces to instantly take shape with designs customized to the user’s needs. You can see it in action in the video below.
