If 3D-printed objects – of any size – have watermarks included in the material, other people could be able to track and trace the origins of the objects using cameras, laptops or mobile phones and see how the objects are being used.
Research by Dr Annika Jones, from Durham University, and Dr James Griffin, from the University of Exeter, has warned about the lack of awareness among governments and companies about such privacy issues associated with 3D printers. The pair are calling for changes to treaties on copyright law and international human rights law, as well as recommending a new voluntary code of conduct to protect people’s privacy and a regulatory body to provide guidance and oversight.
The two experts carried out 30 in-depth interviews with representatives from Chinese 3D-printing companies. Their findings warn that the rise of the Internet of Things, the increasing complexity of watermarking technologies that can survive transfer between different...