As I formed this list, I noticed a trend or a thread that might not be apparent at first glance. Those looking for more commentary on 3D printed firearms will be disappointed, but it is a hot button issue. When people find out I write for a 3D printing news site, they always ask about the printed gun with a grin. Personally, I have never commented on the issue, but know the image may bring a few more people to the list.
For most of my youth, I wanted to be a paleontologist (my parents took me out of school to see Jurassic Park), so every time such a list can be made and an article has appeared, one dino article will make my list. The others, all medical applications, follow the vein of my second dream occupation in the medical field which still fascinates, even more so with 3D printing.
1. A resin with bionic brain implications
This choice is admittedly a bit biased since I wrote it. However, this article was one of the more personal stories with its connection to degenerative brain diseases and watching my grandfather slowly suffer through his own fatal battle. It was fascinating and promoted a trip down memory lane with the bevy of bio and chemical terms needed to comprehend the true implications of the research.
2. End of animal testing with 3DP mini organs
One of my close friends works at Yale as an adjunct professor. She admitted to me that during her graduate studies in Biological Sciences she killed over a thousand mice. She never seemed comfortable with the task, but accepted it as part of the process. This little anecdote is not as horrid as some of the tortures animals endure so we can have working antibiotics and lipstick, but it reinforces this amazing article and the future it could and should usher in to our research.
3. 3D Printing Pharmacies and what will happen with legal drugs
Again with the anecdotes, I have a practicing pharmacist friend (these are real friends, not just make-believe acquaintances for this list) and he would not like the implications of this development, but I do. Big Pharma has a python grip on drugs and medical care in our society and availability and production of 3D printed legal drugs could induce a tectonic shift in medical care.
4. Biopen writing surgeries
Anything that makes surgery easier for the surgeon and less complicated for the patient is a win in my book. There are so many applications to choose from including the adorable duck implant as well as hands for people (my mother’s favorite), but I like when something advertised in the art world can be applied in various fields as it illustrates the range available with 3D printing.
5. A Dino for your mother!
The headline alone grabbed me. As mentioned earlier, any opportunity to throw a dinosaur in an article must be taken. I want one for myself and will work on it. I missed out on the $550 Million California Lotto this month, but one can dream. If anything, with the pace 3D printing takes, I’ll have my personal Utahraptor in no time.
Hi Evan, I’m one of those people working to bring 3D printing to the military. Guns, velociraptors, whatever it takes to keep our own safe and effective on the front lines of war or humanitarian relief. We are looking for people who can help us get quicker and more cost-effective than conventional prototyping, testing and training. One way is by tapping into the know-how of industry/academic experts and garage tinkerers. Feel free to contact me if you have any ideas or want to learn more about the Rapid Equipping Force’s ExAML – Expeditionary Additive Manufacturing Lab.