Monday, April 19, 2010

Mind-boggling engineering

Precision printing technology finds new applications in totally unexpected areas:

A new technology early in clinical trials could make it possible for doctors to use specialized 3D printers to fabricate new human tissue based on a patient's own cells.


When people see this type of devices they often think about artificial organs that can be produced to replace failed ones. But what about totally new organs or new ways to extend human abilities? For example, a third eye that can see in the dark, smell implants, novel taste buds, blood vessels that feed certain brain areas, so we don't get tired while doing demanding mental tasks. Once the technology is sufficiently developed and tested, the impact on the society could as big as gene engineering.

tags: health, tool, system, imagination, technology, system

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