3D Printed Humanoid Robot Can Talk & See, Thanks to GMC – Heart & Organs are Next

It’s truly remarkable what some people are able to achieve with a pen-like device that extrudes molten thermoplastics. The 3Doodler 3D printing pen has been impressing many within the art community for over two years now, since launching back in February of 2013 on Kickstarter. Since that time we’ve seen everything from 3D printed wallets and jackets to motorized remote control airplanes. The technology, which is rather simple when you think about it, has been responsible for hundreds of incredibly complex works of art and other creative objects.

Approximately one year ago we were made aware of a rather unique 3Doodler project underway by a Somerville, Massachusetts man named Justin Mattarocchia. Mattarocchia was using his pen to meticulously draw a humanoid skeleton in three dimensions.

“I love the freedom the 3Doodler offers me in creative design,” Mattarocchia said at the time. “It’s an excellent tool, and when used in conjunction with other media, and even electronics, you can make your work really come to life.”

Naming the skeleton ‘Voight,’ the designer has since continued the creative process, and Voight has transformed into more than just a shell of the humanoid that we covered last June. In fact, Voight is now a robotic skeleton that can see and talk, and is beginning to take on what appears to be muscular structures.

“I can continuously add to it. I can go back to something time and time again and increase its precision,” explained Mattarocchia in a video recently released by GMC. “At first I just tried to make a little skull. And then I thought, ‘I made the skull I might as well make the body.’ I just kept pushing that further and further until I had plastic man. He’s an evolving piece and he’s growing and changing and gaining new abilities.”

By utilizing GMC-made cameras (yet to hit the market — arriving sometime in 2017), which will be used within their vehicles to make them more intuitive and able to sense their surrounding environment, Mattarocchia was able to give his robot 3D vision.

“Having their cameras to work with, giving him sight, through that, is terribly exciting,” explained Mattarocchia. “I just want to make something great, something grand, something beautiful.”

Certainly he has done all of that and then some. Mattarocchia next wants to turn his attention to the robot’s internal structure, as he plans to add organs and even a heart, all using his 3Doodler pen. As you can see from the video below this amazing piece of work is coming along quite well, and we can’t wait for Mattarocchia’s next major update. Stay tuned…

Let us know your thoughts on this incredible project in the 3D Printed Humanoid Robot forum thread on 3DPB.com.