A team of researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has created a 'Multifab' 3-D printer with a unique ability to print 10 materials at one time. The printer is created by MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab (CSAIL).

This incredibly new system can self-calibrate and self-correct, and also saves the user from having to do the grueling fine-tuning themselves, said its makers.

The system's feedback loop 3D-scans and detects errors, allowing it to create 'correction masks'. It also gives users the ability to embed complex components, such as circuits and sensors directly into the object that is being printed.

Javier Ramos, a research engineer at CSAIL who co-authored the paper, said, "The platform opens up new possibilities for manufacturing, giving researchers and hobbyists alike the power to create objects that have previously been difficult or even impossible to print".

Ramos co-authored the paper with members of Professor Wojciech Matusik's Computational Fabrication Group.

The new 3-D printer has already proved its ability in printing smartphone cases and LED lenses. Furthermore, the team is planning to try embedding motors and actuators into more advanced technology.

Scientists believe the printer could be used for a wide variety of applications, such as creating consumer electronics, medical imaging technology, and even robots.

In the future, stores that have already installed single-material 3D printers could potentially upgrade to multi material-printing technology that could even be rented out to smaller businesses and hobbyists, said researchers.