{
  "id": 16104241,
  "title": "This design software reimagines everyday objects as self-aware devices",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/22/this-design-software-reimagines-everyday-objects-as-self-aware-devices",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-10-22T20:45:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MIT News AI",
    "slug": "mit-news-ai",
    "url": "https://news.mit.edu/2026/design-software-reimagines-everyday-objects-as-self-aware-devices-1022"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Scientists at MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory have developed a groundbreaking design software called X-Hinges that can transform everyday objects into self-aware devices. By embedding conductive materials and traces within 3D-printed items, X-Hinges enables these objects to perceive and respond to human motion in real-time, completing tasks more efficiently. Unlike previous methods that only allowed for one axis of motion, X-Hinges provides up to three axes – compressing, up and down, or to the sides – allowing for more versatile object movements. The software ensures precise embedding of sensors and wire-like elements, eliminating signal interference that previously confused devices with similar signals. This innovation could lead to the creation of smarter household items, adaptive robotic hands, object-detection systems, and interactive toys. For instance, a glove designed using X-Hinges can teach a robot how to grasp objects based on the user's hand movements, while an origami-style lamp adjusts its brightness based on how it's pinched. With X-Hinges, users can easily design interactive objects by selecting shapes, connecting parts, and choosing how they move, all through a simple interface. The software's ability to record motion data in multiple axes sets it apart from previous attempts, making everyday objects more responsive and adaptable to human interactions.",
  "summary": "“X-Hinges” helps design and 3D print items like lamps and gloves with an interactive twist: automatically embedded sensors that perceive and adaptively respond to human contact.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}