With a special ink being used, a 3D printer calla lily responded to it's environment. The components of the ink included hydro-gel and cellulose, a big component found in cell walls of many plants. Hydro-gel swells up when it's in water and due to this the flower is able to "respond to it's environment" by moving and changing shape.
Researchers also created a mathematical model of how they thought that the flower was going to react. Because of that model the researchers can control the movements of the flower by "manipulating the pattern of cellulose fibers within the gel." With this technology achievement, researchers hope to be able to develop bio-medical devices, smart textiles, and transformable tissue engineering. Their plan is that since this 3D flower responded to water, than they can also print material that responds to light and temperature. Full article here: http://www.popsci.com/4-d-printed-flowers?image=2
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