Can I Print This? 3D Printing and Intellectual Property (Q&A)
My colleague, Miguel Abaunza, works in design and recently purchased a 3D printer. Miguel started bringing me and my roommate jewelry, some small trinkets and this really cool bulb cover I was immediately curious about the extent of these capabilities: what all could this printer actually print? Miguel pointed me in the direction of a Ted Talk in which Marc Goodman mentions that 3D printers can print in chocolate! Goodman also highlights security risks that these machines may pose as the technology advances and becomes more accessible. I became curious about the implications of intellectual property law in 3D printing.
In this post, I called on Andrew Mirsky to answer some questions I have on this topic. Andrew is an attorney with Mirsky & Company, PLLC:
First some background: 3D printers print objects. After you input a design, the print job yields a three-dimensional figure composed of tightly-welded plastic or metal.
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