Android Printing: Towards On-Demand Android Development Employing
Multi-Material 3-D Printer
- Satoshi Yagi
Abstract
In this paper, we propose the concept of Android Printing, which is
printing a full android, including skin and mechanical components in a
single run using a multi-material 3-D printer. Printing an android all
at once both reduces assembly time and enables intricate designs with a
high degrees of freedom. To prove this concept, we tested by actual
printing an android. First, we printed the skin with multiple annular
ridges to test skin deformation. By pulling the skin, we show that the
state of deformation of the skin can be adjusted depending on the ridge
structure. This result is essential in designing humanlike skin
deformations. After that, we designed and fabricated a 3-D printed
android head with 31 degrees of freedom. The skin and linkage mechanism
were printed together before connecting them to a unit combining several
electric motors. To confirm our concept's feasibility, we created
several motions with the android based on human facial movement data. In
the future, android printing might enable people to use an android as
their own avatar.