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Blockchain technology will soon be able to be applied within items produced by 3D printers thanks to pioneering work by experts.
The research will revolutionise how 3D printed objects can be distributed, traced and searched for. This will enable new forms of distribution and open up new possibilities for licensing around the world.
The use of 3D printing is rapidly growing in a range of industries – including aeronautics, car manufacturing and dentistry - but innovation has become constrained because of the lack of clarity over legal rules.
A team of experts led by Dr James Griffin from the University of Exeter Law School, have patented watermarking technology for use with 3D printing. They are now working to link this watermarking technology to blockchain, to allow the licensing of 3D printed objects.
The work, funded through grants from the AHRC, Newton Fund, Ningbo Science and Technology Bureau and the Li Dak Sum Fellowship, was highlighted at the British and Irish Law Education Technology Association (BILETA) conference, held at the University of Exeter.
The technology will help companies to license their products for 3D printing properly for the first time, allowing them to develop new markets. Read the full article on the University of Exeter website.