Metal, organs, vases and clothing all have one thing in common: they can be 3D printed!
This past year I have been fascinated with the newly developing technology. The Electroloom is like fabric magic. The particles of clothing seem fly to create a garment. No weaving, no sewing, just seamless simplicity.
3D printing has been taking the health world by storm. Whether it’s prosthetics for a dolphin, dog or even child, there are many happy stories to be found online. Doctors are figuring out how to print cells to biologically match a patient’s body so that there is minimal chance of rejection. The hope is to one day be able to replace human organs with ones that are 3D printed.
MIT has just developed a molten glass printer. The printed vases are stunning, and will be exhibited at the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum in New York in 2016. In the future, this could be used to make printable optoelectronics (technology with the combined use of electronics and light).
Unfortunately the cost to run these printers can be as high as a hundred thousand dollars, depending on what’s being printed. Although it may seem out of reach to the typical consumer, over 100 USPS locations now offer 3D printing services! Read more about the USPS initiative HERE.
How will you be using 3D printing?