Researchers at the University of California, Irvine have revealed a security weakness in the 3D printing process − sound waves. Scientists designed a program capable of recording and analyzing the sounds emitted by the printer's moving parts. Once decoded, the sounds − each connoting a precise movement − can be used to reverse engineer the product being printed.

The beetle study is part of an $8 million project funded by the U.S. Air Force to explore how the biology of creatures such as mantis shrimp and bighorn sheep could help develop impact-resistant materials. “We’re trying to go beyond what nature has done,” said study co-author David Kisailus, a materials scientist and engineer at the University of California, Irvine. Read More