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Davis Today
By the People, for the People
Concordia Researchers Develop Sound-Based 3D Printing for Microdevices
New technique uses focused ultrasound to directly print tiny structures with greater precision than before.
Published on Feb. 13, 2026
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Researchers at Concordia University have developed a new 3D-printing technique that uses sound waves to directly print tiny structures onto soft polymers like silicone with far greater precision than before. The approach, called proximal sound printing, opens new possibilities for manufacturing microscale devices used in healthcare, environmental monitoring, and advanced sensors.
Why it matters
The improved precision of this sound-based 3D printing method makes it possible to print complex microfluidic channels, flexible sensors, and multi-material structures in a single process. This could support faster prototyping of medical diagnostic devices, wearable technologies, and soft robotic components, offering manufacturers a simpler and more versatile way to produce microscale systems.
The details
The technique relies on focused ultrasound to trigger chemical reactions that solidify liquid polymers exactly where printing is needed. Unlike conventional methods that rely on heat or light, sound-based 3D-printing works with key materials used in microfluidic devices, lab-on-a-chip systems, and soft electronics that are hard to print at small scales. The new proximal approach places the sound source much closer to the printing surface, allowing far tighter control and producing features up to 10 times smaller than previous methods, while using significantly less power and improving repeatability.
- The study was published in the Nature journal Microsystems & Nanoengineering on February 13, 2026.
The players
Muthukumaran Packirisamy
A professor in the Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Aerospace Engineering at the Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science at Concordia University.
Mohsen Habibi
A researcher from the University of California at Davis who co-authored the paper.
Shervin Foroughi
A PhD graduate from 2025 who co-authored the paper.
What they’re saying
“This work builds on the research team's earlier breakthrough in direct sound printing, which first showed that ultrasound could be used to cure polymers on demand. While that earlier method demonstrated the concept, it struggled with limited resolution and consistency. The new proximal approach places the sound source much closer to the printing surface, allowing far tighter control.”
— Muthukumaran Packirisamy, Professor, Concordia University (Mirage News)
What’s next
The researchers believe this new sound-based 3D printing method could support faster prototyping of medical diagnostic devices, wearable technologies, and soft robotic components in the future, offering manufacturers a simpler and more versatile way to produce microscale systems.
The takeaway
This innovative sound-based 3D printing technique developed by Concordia researchers represents a significant advancement in the field of microdevice manufacturing. By leveraging the precision of focused ultrasound, the method enables the creation of complex microscale structures that were previously difficult to produce, opening up new possibilities for a wide range of applications in healthcare, environmental monitoring, and advanced sensor technologies.
