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Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have invented a way to produce hair-like strands, fibers and bristles using a common, low-cost 3-D printer. Credit: Carnegie Mellon University

3D printers typically produce hard plastic objects, but researchers have found a way to produce hair-like strands, fibers and bristles using a common, low-cost printer. The technique for producing 3D printed hair is similar to, and inspired by the way that gossamer plastic strands are extruded when a person uses a hot glue gun.

“You just squirt a little bit of material and pull away,” said Gierad Laput. The plastic hair is produced strand by strand, so the process isn’t fast – it takes about 20-25 minutes to generate hair on 10 square millimeters...