Which parts of the body can we 3D print?
This article is published in collaboration with Business Insider.
Advancements in 3-D printing – a machine that can layer materials to create three-dimensional objects – have skyrocketed in recent years. But while many associate the technology with pointless, plastic trinkets, researchers and scientists have been hard at work tinkering with the technology to create revolutionary products – including printing parts of the human body.
Bioprinting – as it is often referred to – combines bioengineering with 3-D printing to create living artificial organs, such as skin, and it may be the key to creating full human organs that can be used for transplants in the coming years.
While you won’t be creating a mini you with a 3-D printer anytime soon, the innovations now possible could one day bring us closer to such a thing.
Going from the top of your head down to your feet, here’s the proof:
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