Integration of 4D Imaging with 4D Printing

Abstract

Three-dimensional printing emerges as a novel technology by not only filling in the gaps of modern technology but also by using responsive materials as a source. The three-dimensional provided with a stimulus makes the fourth dimension. However, the fourth dimension involves the need to move somewhere else, somewhere that is perpendicular to all three dimensions. It is possible to study complex shapes by simply visualizing the object from a four-dimensional (4D) point of view. The inception of 4D imaging started with the need for the time-lapse study of living objects. Moreover, three-dimensional (3D) printing integrated with time-lapsed imaging termed 4D printing has applications in several emerging directions, including the simulation of plant and veterinary science, orthopedic scaffolds and biomedical devices, food printing, electronic sensors, robots, vehicle optimization, textile customization, and flexible machinery. Conceptualizing future application, we present the understanding of the fourth dimension along with current studies to extend the applications domain of 4D technologies.