The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has developed a shock absorbing material that could help to make drones and other robots more resilient. As any pilot who has ever crashed their quadcopter knows, it’s not the fall that damages the drone, it’s the impact when it hits. MIT Is using 3D printing to allow engineers and designers to taylor exactly what material go into certain parts of different devices, including drones. This means that you can use more rigid and stiff materials for certain parts, like the air frame, and use softer, more forgiving parts for other parts, like the landing gear. This means that you can target specific parts, to protect sensitive equipment and make the drones (or robots) movements more predictable.
To learn more, please check out this link from TechCrunch:
https://techcrunch.com/2016/10/03/mits-new-3d-printed-shock-absorbent-materials-make-for-resilient-drones/
