INTRODUCTION
3D printing is becoming increasingly capable and affordable.
We envision a future world where interactive devices can be
printed rather than assembled; a world where a device with
active components is created as a single object, rather than
a case enclosing circuit boards and individually assembled
parts (Figure 2). This capability has tremendous potential
for rapid high fidelity prototyping, and eventually for produc-
tion of customized devices tailored to individual needs and/or
specific tasks. With these capabilities we envision it will be
possible to design highly functional devices in a digital ed-
itor — importing components from a library of interactive
elements, positioning and customizing them, then pushing
‘print’ to have them realized in physical form. In this paper
we explore some of the possibilities for this vision afforded
by today’s 3D printing technology. Specifically, we describe
an approach for using 3D printed optical elements, Printed
Optics, as one category of components within a greater li-
brary of reusable interactive elements.