Übertroll Firm Bags DRM Patent For 3D Printing

A division of Intellectual Ventures, the IP-holding company founded by Nathan Myhrvold, Microsoft's former CTO, has been granted a patent on a system for introducing digital rights management (DRM) controls to 3D printing.

Under the system described in the patent, files containing plans for printed objects would be encased in a digital envelope that would check if the original designer had either given permission for the plans to be used or been paid for their product. Software to handle this would be embedded in 3D printers to make sure they couldn't produce unauthorized copies.

While the 3D-printing industry is still in its infancy, the patent highlights one of the major concerns about the technology for commercial manufacturers. It's likely that in the years to come, not only plastic items, but also guns, robots and even human tissues will be printed using such systems, and the technology could enable piracy on a whole new scale.