2. Medical tools
Printed prosthetics have been utilized in
rehabilitation of crippled humans and animals. In
October 24, 2014, a five-year-old girl born
without completely shaped fingers on her left
hand and 3D printing technology is used to make
prosthetic hand. In 2013, a 3D printed foot is
built for a duckling. A prosthetic beak was
another device built by 3D printing to aid a bald
eagle, whose beak was brutally injured from a
shot in face.
3. Bio-printing
In 2012 3D bio-printing technology studied by
biotechnology companies and academia for
possible utilization in tissue engineering
applications where organs and body parts are
developed via inkjet methods. In this procedure,
layers of living cells are placed on a gel medium or
sugar matrix and gradually built up to create three-
dimensional structures comprising vascular
systems. 3D tissue printing is used to develop soft
tissue designs for reconstructive surgery is also
being explored.
4. Pills
The first pill developed by 3D printing was
permitted by FDA in August 2015. Binder-jetting
into powder bed of drug permits very porous pills
to be made that allows high drug doses in single pill
that dissolves rapidly and can be ingested simply.
5. Computers and robots
3D printing can also be utilized to create laptops,
computers cases etc. For instance, Novena and VIA
OpenBook standard laptop cases i.e. a Novena
motherboard can be purchased and be utilized in
printed VIA OpenBook case.
Open-source robots are developed via 3D printers.
3&DBot is Arduino which is a 3D printer-robot
with wheels and ODOI is the 3D printed humanoid
robot.
6. Communication
Using 3D printing, Terahertz devices are
created that act as waveguides, bends and
couplers have been created. The difficult
shape of such devices could not be attained
via conventional fabrication methods.