A team led by Washington State University (WSU) has developed a miniature processor and 3D printed antenna arrays that could serve as the foundation for next-generation, flexible, and wearable wireless systems. The innovation promises improved efficiency in communication technologies across sectors such as aerospace, automotive, and space.
The research, recently featured in Nature Communications, demonstrates how combining additive manufacturing with a copper nanoparticle-based conductive ink and a custom-built processor enables the creation of lightweight, adaptable antenna arrays.
“This proof of concept lays the groundwork for new advances in smart textiles, unmanned aircraft communications, and edge sensing—applications that demand durable, adaptable, and high-performing wireless systems,” said Sreeni Poolakkal, co-first author and PhD student in WSU’s School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
Tackling Instability in Flexible Antennas
Industries like aviation and automotive manufacturing have long been interested in conformal antenna arrays that can be mounted directly onto surfaces to save space and weight. However, these systems have traditionally been expensive to produce and prone to signal distortion caused by mechanical stress or environmental changes.
To address these drawbacks, the WSU-led team collaborated with the University of Maryland and Boeing to use additive manufacturing and copper nanoparticle ink to produce antennas that preserve signal strength and clarity even under bending or vibration.
“The ink is a very important part in additive, or 3D printing,” said Subhanshu Gupta, associate professor in the WSU School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and a co-author on the work. “The nanoparticle-based ink developed by our collaborators is actually very powerful in improving the performance for high-end communication circuits like what we’re doing.”
Real-Time Signal Optimization and Modular Design
To ensure reliable wireless transmission, the researchers also created a processor capable of automatically correcting signal errors that result from antenna movement or deformation.
“We used this processor that we developed to correct for these material deformities in the 3D printed antenna, and it also corrects for any vibrations that we see,” said Gupta. “The ability to do that in real time makes it very attractive. We were able to achieve robust, real-time beam stabilization for the arrays, something that was not possible before.”
The prototype consists of a flexible, lightweight array of four antennas that can send and receive signals while in motion or bent. The system’s modular, tile-based structure allows scalability, meaning several arrays can be linked to build larger communication systems, each operating with its own processor.
The work was supported by the Air Force Research Laboratory, the Washington Research Foundation, and the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, with additional collaborators from the University of Maryland, Boeing Research and Technology, and the University of British Columbia.
Expanding the Frontier of 3D Printed Antennas
The WSU breakthrough builds on a growing body of research exploring additive manufacturing as a pathway to next-generation wireless components. In June, a collaboration between the University of California, Berkeley, UCLA, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory unveiled a charge-programmed deposition process for 3D printing ultralight, high-frequency antennas. Their technique, also published in Nature Communications, integrates conductive and dielectric materials directly—without the need for substrates or post-print sintering. Operating at 19 GHz, the team’s circularly polarized transmitarrays and monolithic horn feeds demonstrated exceptional performance, with a 12 cm array weighing only 5 grams—over 90% lighter than comparable conventionally produced antennas.
Earlier, in 2021, researchers at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) leveraged 3D printing to produce optimized cylindrical antenna components for radar monitoring systems. By adopting additive manufacturing, the NRL team achieved major reductions in cost, lead time, and weight compared to traditional fabrication methods, paving the way for more agile, mission-ready radar and communications hardware.
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Image featured shows A chip-sized processor and 3D printed antenna array. Photo via WSU.
