3D Printers: Creation of Body Parts

3D Printed Object

The concept of 3D printing has been around since the 1970's, but very few people have seen a 3D printer. Most people have never heard of the technology. If you are one of those people, now you will hear about it.

The first question that springs to mind is: "What is 3D printing?" Although I'm not sure that one-dimensional printing exists -- unless you count the New York Post -- we all are familiar with two-dimensional printing: text or images on a printable surface, such as a sheet of paper that has length and width. 3D printing should not be confused with a 3D image, which is actually printed flat (2D), but gives the impression of depth via perspective, holographic technology, or by the viewer's wearing funny-looking glasses. 3D printing goes one step further and actually creates a 3D replica of whatever design has been entered. Instead of using ink as a regular printer does, a 3D printer uses plastic or ceramic substances. Instead of traditional "printing" of one object (ink) on another (paper), a 3D printer actually manufactures copies of objects.

For instance, let's say you wanted to "print" a copy of your favorite coffee mug. First, you need to obtain a 3D digital representation of the mug. You can do this by taking a photo and then rendering it in 3D via a specialized graphic design computer program. This, of course, takes skill and a working knowledge of complex computer programs. Another method is to use yet another amazing machine, a 3D scanner. It would take an entirely separate blog entry to explain 3D scanners, and I don't feel like doing that, so I'll provide only a summary. If you still do not understand what a 3D scanner is after my explanation, just pretend that you do and move on.

3D Scanner

A 3D scanner uses a light projector (usually employing lasers, but it can also work with infrared light or LEDs) and a specially configured camera to illuminate an object and "read" the light patterns that bounce back. A algorithm then interprets the light intensities and angles to create a computerized 3D digitized image of the object. Therefore, the object is "scanned" and the result is a 3D computer image, much like a regular desktop scanner would illuminate a document, or even a 3D object, and provide a 2D digital image on your computer screen. Ok, now it's time to pretend that you understand and move on.

Combining your regular desktop scanner with your regular desktop ink printer, you can use the scanner to scan a document or object, and it sends a digital image to your printer, which prints an exact copy of the document or a printed image of the object. Combining a 3D scanner with a 3D printer, you can use the scanner to scan your mug, and it sends a digital image with all the 3D spatial information to your printer, which prints (manufactures) an exact duplicate of the mug.

Keep in mind that you do not always need a 3D scanner. 3D printers only need a 3D image, and this can be obtained through many other means. An artist, for instance, can create a 3D image of a fantasy creature, and the 3D printer will spit it out as a statue. The photo at the head of this blog entry shows a 3D rendering of a design that was created on a computer.

To demonstrate all this, here is an old clip from Japanese TV that shows how a replica is made of a melon. You do not need to understand Japanese to see the result: A person cannot tell the difference between the actual melon and the plastic reproduction. At the end of the clip, you can see other objects that can be manufactured, including full-color 3D representations of architectural plans, objects with gears, and even a realistic head of a man that is superior to Madame Tussaud's work.

If you think this is amazing, there is more to come. For instance, doctors can take MRI scans, feed them through a 3D printer, and within minutes, they can hold an exact-sized replica of the patient's brain or skull in their hands. Bones can also be replicated, making it easier to identify small fractures. But there's yet another step on its way.

3D printers primarily use plastics and ceramics to create the printed models. However, other materials can be used. Scientists are already experimenting with silicon and biological materials. For instance, they have already recreated a human ear out of life-like silicon compounds to create a prosthetic. They are now contemplating the use of biological materials to recreate actual human body parts that can be grafted onto injured persons.

3D manufacturers are now beginning to make "personal" printers, which means they can fit on a desktop and be used by individuals rather than corporations. The cost is still a bit steep -- $15,000 and up -- but the price, quality, and availability are likely to drop, and a lot more people will know what a 3D printer is.