Although clay has traditionally been used to build simple structures such as huts, scientists at ETH Zurich have developed a method that could change this. Houses could soon be built faster and more efficiently using innovative 'impact printing' technology. Dr. Loren Vasi and his team at ETH Zurich have developed a new patented material consisting of clay, silt and undisclosed “general waste” from industry. The unique technology involves the use of an autonomous HEAP excavator that will be able to shoot out droplets of material at speeds of up to 10 m/sec. These droplets combine on impact to form strong walls and structures. If the appearance is not satisfactory, the surface can be smoothed using a robotic arm. The system has so far been used to create simple shapes, but scientists are working on integrating support elements into the clay material and developing software for more complex designs.