Researchers at the University of Warwick have developed a low-cost conductive plastic composite that can be 3D printed using a standard 3D printer. This opens up possibilities for printing electronically functional objects rather than just beautiful models that have no functionality. Currently they have produced a partial glove that allows for the movement of a hand to be tracked and slightly more comically a mug with embedded sensors that can detect how full it is.
Website link: University of Warwick – Engineers pave the way towards 3D printing of personal electronics
Website link: Research article – A Simple, Low-Cost Conductive Composite Material for 3D Printing of Electronic Sensors