Today’s prosthetics and implants for use inside the human body already come in a variety of sizes and designs, but 3D printing can improve them by tailoring devices to each patient’s biology or injury. Bespoke implants mean better compatibility and fewer trips to the hospital, which could potentially ease the strain on China’s already stretched social security system, and it is where Materialise hopes to leverage its expertise in 3D printing in China. The Belgian company is looking to work with doctors to design devices like jaw implants from scans of patients’ mouths, says Francois. The digital models would then be printed in medical-grade titanium.
What if you wanted to create confectionery based on body parts and didn't want to bother with moulds? Researchers at Cornell University's Creative Machines Lab have developed a printer that uses liquid ingredients such as batter or cheese instead of plastic. Fancy a scallop in the shape of the space shuttle ready to deep fry? No problem. A cake with a hidden message printed on the inside? Simple. While Cornell's printer is still in the prototype stage, a team from the University of Exeter already claims to have perfected a 3D chocolate printer for customisable treats.
