Dr. Hod Lipson, engineering professor and the head of Cornell University’s Creative Machines Lab, has used a 3D printer to create a loudspeaker. While the speaker itself is small it represents the first modern consumer electronics product created entirely with a 3D printer.

The speaker was created in three parts using a Fab@Home customizable research printer, which was originally designed by Dr. Lipson. According to Scientific American, “For the coil, they used conductive silver ink; for the magnet, they used a viscous blend of strontium ferrite; and for the housing, they used plastics typically extruded by 3-D printers.” Researchers demonstrated the speaker by plugging it in and playing a clip from President Barack Obama’s 2013 State of the Union.

Lipson believes that this is only the first small step in a technological revolution. He believes that 3D printing will eventually replace most mass production for consumer products, including simple consumer electronics.

From Txchnologist:

“It will be a lot like computers today. You’ll have them in different places for different reasons—at home, in manufacturing plants, in your pockets. The home printers will make food or simple consumer products. The ones in factories will make more complex things. There will also be cloud printers— you need a special brass doorknob, you place your order in the cloud and you get it the next day. I don’t know what the killer app will be—medical implants? Toys? Food?”

Professor Lipson admits though that change will be slow in coming. “There are short-term limitations—we need to make printers faster, materials stronger, the process cheaper.” Other parties are also moving the technology ahead though. Barcelona based Natural Machines has introduced a food printer, several organizations are working on printable medical implants, the European Space Agency has introduced a 3D printer that works with metal and fashion designers are working on printed clothing. Researchers are even beginning to talk about 4D printing, which would create materials that change over time. As for Lipson, he says his next project will be a working electric motor with rotating parts.