Nature’s Ink: Microalgae Biofactories for Creating Sustainable 3D Printing Inks

Researchers from Heidelberg University have developed a sustainable approach to high-resolution 3D printing by using microalgae as “biofactories” to produce environmentally friendly, biocompatible inks, offering an alternative to conventional petroleum derived inks. Continue reading Nature’s Ink: Microalgae Biofactories for Creating Sustainable 3D Printing Inks

3D Printed Robot Plays Jingle Bells and More on the Piano

When looking for the perfect soundtrack to accompany your holiday celebrations, consider putting away the traditional albums and opting for this technologically savvy rendition of Jingle Bells instead.  The performer, the latest work from Josie Hughes and colleagues at the University of Cambridge, is none other than a robot hand designed to play the piano without moving its fingers.  While it may not be a … Continue reading 3D Printed Robot Plays Jingle Bells and More on the Piano

Human blood cells

Scientists Learn to 3D Print Cells One Drop at A Time

3D printing is poised to become a major technological advancement in treating injuries and illnesses that cause tissue damage. For scientists, creating artificial tissue with 3D printing has been a challenge. As the 3D printed structure grows in size, cells often move and compromise the tissue’s structural integrity. New work from Oxford University addresses this problem. By encasing cells in nanoliter sized droplets of fat molecules, researchers are able … Continue reading Scientists Learn to 3D Print Cells One Drop at A Time

Printing Pills: FDA Approves First 3-D Printed Drug

Additive manufacturing – colloquially known as 3-D printing – can generate complex objects like firearms and human organs, but its latest technical milestone revolves around something much more unassuming: a pill.  Earlier this month, the FDA approved an anti-epileptic drug called Spritam that has the same active ingredient (levetiracetam) as a drug that was approved in 1999.  So why is this noteworthy?  It turns out … Continue reading Printing Pills: FDA Approves First 3-D Printed Drug