This little millipede-like robot
is made of plastic and powered by air.
It’s a simple design, but the surprising
thing about it is how it was made.
This robot was printed, 
using new kind of 3D printer.
One that can print objects using 
multiple different materials,
with a speed and level of detail 
that was previously impossible.
Conventional 3D printers usually build
up objects in one material, bit by bit.
But this printer can deposit two, four, 
or even eight different materials
from one nozzle.
And it can do it at high resolution.
Each of these tiny 3D pixels 
is about the width of a human hair.
To print complex patterns 
in a short space of time,
the nozzles have to be able to switch
quickly between materials.
Very quickly.
And it doesn’t end there.
The new design can print with 
multiple nozzles at the same time.
For some projects this makes printing much faster,
although at the moment every nozzle
has to be printing the same thing.
To demonstrate the benefits of 
combining different materials,
researchers made this origami sheet
which has flexible, folding edges 
in between rigid areas.
The same principle applies 
to this beaker-carrying soft robot.
The tubes create a vacuum that crumples 
the soft parts of the legs,
allowing them to bend and walk.
This printer can also deposit a wide variety
of materials:
wax, silicon and gelatin inks were all used.
And the researchers hope this technology 
could be used to print things like
flexible electronics, 
rechargeable batteries
and even materials
containing human cells.
For now though, if you need a conical flask
delivered, you know who to call.
