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Definition: 4D printing


Using a 3D printer to create objects that change their shape when removed from the printer. Invented at MIT in 2013, the purpose is to make things self-assemble when exposed to air, water or heat due to the chemical interaction of the materials used in their manufacture. A more dramatic goal is have the objects oscillate in some fashion on their own. The 4th dimension moniker refers to the self-transformation. See 3D printing.