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Printing lightweight, flexible, and functional materials

Researchers at Harvard's John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences have created a new multimaterial printhead that enables the simultaneous control of composition and geometry during printing, paving the way for entirely 3D-printed wearable devices, soft robots, and electronics.

SourceHarvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateSep 21, 2015

Cancer patient receives 3-D printed ribs

A 54-year-old Spanish man received a revolutionary new implant made from 3D printed titanium alloy, designed to replicate the intricate structures of his sternum and ribs. The innovative prosthesis was created by medical device company Anatomics in collaboration with CSIRO's 3D printing facility Lab 22.

SourceCSIRO Australia·JournalEuropean Journal of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery·DateSep 11, 2015

3-D printing technique explored to help treat type 1 diabetes

Researchers developed a 3D printing technique to create scaffolds for insulin-producing cells, which showed full functionality and improved transplantation success rates. The bioplotting method enabled the creation of porous structures that facilitated glucose and insulin exchange, while protecting the cells from the immune system.

SourceIOP Publishing·JournalBiofabrication·DateMay 27, 2015

One to ovoid?

A new study uses 3D printed eggs to test how birds identify and reject parasitic eggs with greater precision. Researchers found that robins accepted 100% of blue-green eggs but rejected 79% of cowbird-like eggs, similar to past studies but with less variability and precise reproduction.

SourcePeerJ·JournalPeerJ·DateMay 26, 2015

Patents forecast technological change

Engineers at MIT have devised a formula for estimating how fast a technology is advancing, based on information gleaned from relevant patents. The researchers found that certain metrics across patents, such as forward citations and publication date, are more likely to predict a technology's improvement rate than others.

3-D printing blossoms into powerful new tool for ecologists

Researchers used 3D printing to create artificial flowers, one curved and one flat, to investigate how flower shape affects foraging behavior in hawkmoths. The study found that hawkmoths fed more successfully from the curved flowers, suggesting they use touch rather than sight to find nectar.

SourceWiley·JournalFunctional Ecology·DateApr 14, 2015

UNC-Chapel Hill researchers collaborate to develop revolutionary 3-D printing technology

Researchers at UNC-Chapel Hill have developed CLIP, a 3D printing technology that manipulates light and oxygen to fuse objects in liquid media. This method allows for the creation of commercially viable objects with feature sizes below 20 microns, making it possible to produce parts 25-100 times faster than traditional technologies.

Building a town house from bio-based plastics

The book explores the potential of 3D printing with biomaterials to minimize our carbon footprint and create sustainable products. A remarkable example is the printing of an entire town house from bio-based plastics, which reduces the material's carbon footprint by more than 60%.

New advances in additive manufacturing using laser solid forming to produce metallic parts

Researchers have made significant advancements in additive manufacturing using laser solid forming (LSF) to produce high-performance metallic components. The LSF technique allows for the direct fabrication of metallic components with excellent mechanical properties similar to those produced by casting or forging.

SourceMary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News·Journal3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing·DateOct 9, 2014

'Femme fatale' emerald ash borer decoy lures and kills males

Researchers have designed decoys that mimic female emerald ash borers, enticing male beetles to land on them and get electrocuted. The team's bioreplicated decoys were more attractive to males than simpler 3D-printed decoys due to their fine-scale texture and color.

SourcePenn State·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateSep 15, 2014

A versatile joystick for animation artists

A Swiss research team created an innovative joystick for animation artists, consisting of modular building blocks that can be assembled into any virtual character shape. The device features integrated sensors that track joint movements, enabling smooth character articulation.