It’s hard to imagine how I could possible come up with a business model for something that hasn’t really been invented and perfected yet. When I started out on the journey of learning about this topic I was very hopeful and maybe naive of what could be achieved presently in time with smart objects in relation to 4D printing. We already have very advanced technology which can easily be considered smart. So technically smart objects do already exist, but they are not the ones I have chosen to learn about. The smart objects that I am talking about are smart, but they are also intelligent and autonomous objects which can evolve just like nature.

Judging by the fact that  current smart objects are still not mass-manufactured and cheap, its hard to say how 4D objects will ever be cheap or produced for the mass markets. but there are few things that I am hopeful for. For example the self healing polymers that I talked about in my previous post. It can be mass produced via the 3D printer, to be used to heal burn victims and people with skin deformities. Something like this could easily be supplied to hospitals around the world, upon request. It could also be used to create more realistic mechanical limbs for veterans or the disabled.

The M-blocks that I talked about previously could also be mass produced once they are perfected. all the parts would be made by 3D printers  to minimize cost. These tiny sand grain sized smart cubes would be used as helpers  in any given situation.  They would go around repairing streets, bridges, buildings,  be used as substitutes for  tools.

Although some of these ideas seem far-fetched or unrealistic, achieving this realistically would take centuries, and many generations of people to perfect.

But not to worry, we have plenty of time!