3D chocolate printer could be future of gifts

The printer, which produces 3D chocolate by building up successive layers, is thought to be an innovation in gift shopping and has already received huge amounts of interest from retailers. It is hoped the project will eventually see people designing and creating their own products across a wide spectrum of manufactured gifts. Lead researcher, Dr. Liang Hao, said: “What makes this technology special is that users will be able to design and make their own products. In the long term it could be developed to help consumers custom-design many products from different materials. “From reproducing the shape of a child’s favorite toy to a friend’s face, the possibilities are endless and only limited by our creativity.” The research team is now looking to develop a consumer interface where people will be able to upload their own chocolate designs for 3D printing and delivery. They will also be able to browse through the creations of other users. Dr. Hao added: “In future this kind of technology will allow people to produce and design many other products such as jewelry or household goods. Eventually we may see many mass produced products replaced by unique designs created by the customer.” The project is funded as part of the Research Council UK Cross-Research Council Digital Economy Program and is managed by the Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC). EPSRC Chief Executive Professor, Dave Delpy, said: “This is an imaginative application of two developing technologies and a good example of how creative research can be applied to create new manufacturing and retail ideas. “By combining developments in engineering with the commercial potential of the digital economy we can see a glimpse into the future of new markets – creating new jobs and, in this case, sweet business opportunities.” From / Tehran Times