Summary

What if you could design how a 3D-printed object feels before printing it?

This research project aims to make that possible by combining 3D printing and Virtual Reality (VR) to empower designers and makers to craft objects with specific tactile qualities, such as softness, roughness, smoothness, or texture. By enabling precise control over how objects feel, the project opens up new possibilities for hands-on learning, professional training, and immersive simulations.

Currently, creating 3D-printed objects with a desired feeling involves guesswork and repeated trial and error. There are virtually no tools that let designers predict what a printed object will feel like based on its materials, structure, or surface features. This project addresses that gap by developing new methods to model and control tactile properties, both physically and perceptually. It will also explore how visual cues in VR can enhance or even alter how we experience touch.

Bringing together 3D printing, human perception research, and machine learning, the project will deliver the first generation of design tools that allow users to define and simulate touch sensations before fabrication. These tools will lower the barrier to creating realistic, multisensory VR experiences, ultimately making them more accessible and cost-effective.

The potential applications are wide-ranging. Medical students could practice identifying tumours on lifelike, printed anatomical models in a virtual clinic. Game developers might let players 3D print immersive, touchable props at home. Artists and educators could recreate cultural artifacts with a tangible sense of realism.

Acknowledgement

This project is funded through a Marsden Fast-Start grant by the Marsden Fund Council from Government funding, managed by Royal Society Te Apārangi.

Contact

Dr Donald Degraen

Project Team

• • Dr Donald Degraen, HIT Lab NZ, University of Canterbury
  • Dr Aluna Everitt, Computer Science and Software Engineering, University of Canterbury

UC People