PrintAssist—a conversational human-machine interface for 3D printers

3D printers are no longer found only in industry, universities or makerspaces but now are increasingly used in domestic settings. Personal fabrication will increase in the coming years, and 3D printing will play an important role in this process. Due to technology and price development, 3D printers are becoming established among casual users at home. However, there are still many hurdles in the use of 3D printers that interfere with their appropriation in everyday life. In this paper, we investigate how chatbots can overcome these hurdles and support onboarding to 3D printing. Furthermore, we explore how chatbots can be used as a human–machine interface and facilitate interaction with 3D printers for both novice and expert users. In a research-through-design approach, we have created a fully functional chatbot that introduces users to 3D printing and helps them perform typical tasks when operating 3D printers.