Researchers embed digital 'fingerprints' into 3D printed parts — tech may make future ghost guns more traceable

Netanel Raviv and a team at the McKelvey School of Engineering (part of Washington University in St. Louis) are continuing to develop a way to embed traceable digital 'fingerprints' into 3D-printed objects.

Initially reported by

, the markers are designed in a way to be detectable, even if the printed object has been broken, because they can be identified with just a fragment of the object. Depending on the fingerprint, information such as what printer was used and when the object was created can be embedded in the print.

The process, created by the team at Washington University, is known as Secure Information Embedding and Extraction (or SIDE for short). The fingerprinting process adds a permanent marker to the object, which can be deciphered later to determine any data factors that were put in during the printing process, such as the owner of the printer that was used.

Details on exactly how this is done are scarce, with Raviv saying it's accomplished through "mathematical contributions and new security mechanisms." Perhaps the point is to keep potential bad actors from attempting to subvert the technology. But given that these are plastic objects, it's also unclear how traceable a print might be if someone just takes a minute or two to melt the print after using it.

Ash Hill is a contributing writer for Tom's Hardware with a wealth of experience in the hobby electronics, 3D printing and PCs. She manages the Pi projects of the month and much of our daily Raspberry Pi reporting while also finding the best coupons and deals on all tech.