Have you ever wonder what 3D printing can contribute to innovations involving electronics? Illinois MakerLab has the answer.

Recently, Illinois MakerLab was involved in printing cases for a maker Jordan Bodway. Jordan is the project manager for the LittleBeats Device Development Project at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The LittleBeats device is a mobile sensing device that collects heart rate, audio, and motion data. The intended users of the device are children and their parents. The device is made out of electronics parts, and here is where 3D printing becomes helpful for the device.

The electronics need to be protected during their use and ensure the device is not breaking due to the electronics breaks during the usage. A 3D printed case can provide the necessary protection to the electronics. Jordan’s project team member mentions, the case protects the electronics and allows interaction with children and their parents without breaking the electronics inside, and it benefits the project by allowing data to be gathered directly from the subjects outside of a lab environment.

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