3D printed organs are no longer science fiction but are now becoming reality

" But the dream of functional 3-D-printed  organs has long been stymied by a stubborn central challenge: how to get blood to flow to keep the cells alive.

Now, a team of researchers at the Wake Forest School of Medicine in North Carolina has made the latest contribution to solving the puzzle, though their findings are still a long way away from helping patients. " 

This 3-D-printed human cartilage possessed all the natural characteristics of an ear when implanted in a rodent model.

Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine

The Wake Forest team’s 3-D printer at work fabricating a jaw bone structure.

What an amazing time to be alive with such amazing 3D technology. If you want to read more about this please go here . 

Source : statnews.com

3D printing technology helps baby live a normal life

A toddler became the first in the world to get an organ transplant from an adult donor using 3D technology. The operation was successful and the child was saved from a lifetime of dialysis treatments. (Photo : Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust)

 "When Lucy Boucher was born, she suffered from heart failure, causing her kidneys to significantly lack oxygen and shut down. Lucy was then faced with a lifetime of dialysis treatments.

Her parents brought her to Guy's and St Thomas' and Great Ormond Street Hospital, where doctors recommended her to undergo a kidney transplant. Her dad, Chris, was a perfect match for donation, but there was one problem. How could a big, adult kidney fit into Lucy's small abdomen?

That's when 3D printing technology came into the picture. Doctors produced models of Chris' kidney and Lucy's abdomen to determine how the organs would fit together. The intervention would greatly help doctors plan out the very complicated procedure and reduce risks."

-Techtimes.com

This is only a smaller section of the full article . You can find the full article with more details here . 

Source: TechTimes.com

Is 3D printing industry in trouble?

A recent article on Fortune mentions lay offs to 3D printing company 3D Systems  .

 " 3D Systems plans to cut around 80 jobs at its Andover, Mass., facility, marking another sign of trouble at the 3D-printing company. "

- Fortune 

All the recent press regarding 3D printing has been very positive and optimistic so this news is pretty shocking. I hope the people who are laid off are able to find a job soon . The fortune article did mention that other 3D printing companies are doing well. So maybe this is only a correction of a single company who grew too fast . Who knows for sure?

If you want to read more about this unfortunate news go here  .

Source: Fortune 

3D printing company makes Star Wars inspired prosthesis

3Ders recently uploaded a interesting story about 3D printing and the upcoming Star Wars episode 7.  

" With Episode VII: The Force Awakens due to hit theaters in just a few weeks, 3D printed prostheses firm Open Bionics has designed a special 3D printed arm as part of the ‘Fashion Finds the Force’ themed fashion collection, featuring ten pairs of Star Wars themed items from UK designers. The 3D printed arm accompanies an impressive jumpsuit embedded with 10,000 Swarovski crystals, designed by British designer Claire Barrow. The jumpsuit’s star-like effect mimics the famous “jump to hyperspace” scenes in which Han Solo’s Millennium Falcon spaceship travels faster than the speed of light. "

-3Ders  

To read the entire article and see more pictures please go here  . 3D printing is making the movies come to life and that is totally exciting.

Source :  3Ders