Simple 3D-Printed Device May Pave the Way for Far More Powerful Cell Phones and WIFI

A 3D-printed device in a tank of water braids nanowires and moves microparticles. New antennae to access higher and higher frequency ranges will be needed for the next generation of phones and wireless devices. One way to make antennae that work at tens of gigahertz — the frequencies needed for 5G and higher devices — is to braid filaments about 1 micrometer in diameter. However, today’s industrial fabrication techniques won’t work on fibers that small.