We could see contacts that double as displays eventually

Dec 10, 2014 14:47 GMT  ·  By

We're not strangers to 3D printed electronic devices, but only a handful of examples exist, and they aren't much besides proofs of concept. True, the latest invention from the University of Princeton isn't any different, but it does carry a lot more potential.

In the past, we saw conductive polymers and filament, 3D printed parts of lamps and other devices, and most importantly, a fully 3D printed, self-assembling lamp.

Printed Circuit Boards have also proven to be 3D printable under the right circumstances, though not through any of the standard additive manufacturing methods.

What researchers from Princeton managed to create most recently is a contact lens with an integrated, 3D printed light emitting diode.

The contact lens with integrated LEDs

A team under the leadership of Michael Alpine have created a contact lens that uses tiny LEDs to project beams of colored light straight into the eye.

The hard contact lens is made of plastic, not glass, but tiny crystals were used (quantum dots) to create the LEDs that generate the colored light.

Dots of different sizes can generate different colors, providing a basis to work on for future devices and customizations. Nanoparticles were used as the ink during the 3D printing process.

It took a lot of creativity to make the contact lens, even if only the LED was 3D printed. The materials involved were largely incompatible chemically, thermally, and mechanically.

The thin and uniform coating of nanoparticles and polymers wasn't easy to construct without using conventional microfabrication techniques. But it was eventually done, within the needed thickness and uniformity (which were quite demanding).

Applications for the contact lens

There aren't any. Not in practice and not in concept. This was a research project meant to prove that 3D printing complex electronic items and very small components was possible, even if the materials don't usually play nice together. We dare say that the endeavor was a great success.

The breakthrough was based on previous research by the University of Princeton. We reported last month about the quantum dot 3D printing technology, twice. If the research team and associates manage to keep advancing this quickly, we wouldn't be surprised if the next Google Glass augmented reality headset is designed with the help of this technique, or a variation of it.

The researchers don't expect 3D printing to actually replace traditional manufacturing in electronics, not in the near future, but they could cover some gaps that have been left unaddressed for a long time.

Princeton's 3D printed LED on contact lens (4 Images)

The 3D printed LED on contact lens
3D printer finishes workThe 3D Printed LED
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