in medicine
The field of medicine is one of the most advanced in terms of the use of 3D Printers. In the United States, the FDA approved the first drug that can be produced by 3D printing in August 2015. The medicine is called Levetiracetam and is used for the treatment of epilepsy. 3D printing of medications can allow doctors to prescribe more precise doses, tailored to the needs of each patient.[1].
There are printers that are capable of creating surgical guides and dental models.[2] Surgical guides are used so that the dentist knows exactly where to place an implant. But what is more surprising is that prosthetic implants have already been performed beyond dentistry. This is the case of a high school student from Colorado, who has created a robotic prosthesis with 3D printing. This acrobatic arm costs $500, about 160 times less than those built using traditional methods, so it could reach most homes, regardless of their purchasing power. The arm is controlled by brain waves and has a robust and advanced design. By August 2013, he was working on the third generation of this creation.[3].
On the other hand, there is a project called Project Daniel,[4] by Not Impossible, which was started in December 2013. Daniel Omar, after whom the project is named, lost both arms in the Sudan war in 2012, when he was only 14 years old. Upon hearing the news, Mick Ebeling traveled to the scene accompanied by medical personnel; computers, cables, screws and tools to set up a 3D printer workshop with the aim of manufacturing low-cost prostheses and somehow alleviating the terrible reality of suffering mutilations in armed conflicts of this nature, especially among low-income civilian populations.
Another advantage that arises from the application of this technology in the creation of prostheses is that the instructions to follow to manufacture them are public on the Internet. Thus, anyone can access them without additional financial or knowledge costs. In the case of children, for example, who, as they are at a growing age, need to renew their prostheses with certain frequency, it becomes an essential and accessible resource.
Many people suffer accidents that cause injuries so serious that they require reconstruction of some parts of the body. There are two cases: they need to take skin from a part of the body and place it on the injury, which is very painful, or they need to reconstruct a bone. In both cases, three-dimensional printers can help us.
In the first case, there has already been the first creation of a material with properties similar to those of human tissue "Tissue (biology)"). This type of material is composed of thousands of water droplets connected and encapsulated within lipid films and can carry out some of the functions of cells, and interact with the other tissues of our body. These "droplet networks" are completely synthetic, do not have a genome and do not replicate.[5].
In the second case, in March 2014, the face of a young man who had suffered a motorcycle accident was reconstructed. Initially, when he was admitted to the hospital after the accident, the doctors tried to reconstruct his faces in the best possible way, manually, but they could not do it completely well, as the visibility of his left eye could be compromised. Thanks to new 3D modeling technologies, they created a recreation of his skull before the accident, selected parts to replace them and 3D printed them, implanting them through an operation.[6] Thus, they have been able to reconstruct his entire face and allow him to lead a relatively normal life.
On the other hand, a group of doctors from Peking University printed a vertebra, this being the first case. They successfully implanted it in a twelve-year-old boy in a five-hour operation, after removing his own, which contained a malignant tumor. This vertebra is created with titanium and has small pores so that the bone can grow inside and does not hinder growth, so screws or other connections are not necessary.[7].
The 3D printers used to create organs use living cells as the printing material. From these it is possible to generate an organ "Organ (biology)") to implant into a person. It is one of the most anticipated goals, since there are huge waiting lines for people who need an organ to receive it, and several of them die every day due to waiting too long. There are several groups studying the creation of different organs, the heart being the great objective. At the moment, there is a group of engineers from the University of Connecticut that has created artificial kidneys.[8] Their goal is for these organs to be transplanted into human beings and have the same functionalities as a natural kidney, and it seems that there will not be much left to achieve this goal. On the other hand, Organovo" reported that in 2014 the first liver created with a three-dimensional printer would be released. At the moment in 2013 they had miniature replicas but they already had the functionalities of a natural one.[9].
Scoliosis is a disease in which the spine suffers an S- or C-shaped curvature. When this curvature is greater than a certain number of degrees, the use of a corset is necessary. These tend to be very cumbersome, uncomfortable and unsightly. That is why many people do not want to wear them or their self-esteem greatly decreases. It seems that the solution, called Bespoke, has been found. By scanning the patient's body, exact measurements are obtained and this corset is printed, and it can have different styles and be customizable. It is also breathable, so it will also increase comfort and durability.[10].
In this case we are talking about something surprising as well as useful. A few years ago, 3D ultrasounds emerged, which represented a great advance in this sector. However, in 2013 a new step was taken: three-dimensional printing of the fetus. Its main objective is to detect malformations in unborn babies, as well as possible complications during childbirth. In this way they could be avoided and help medical personnel better monitor the baby's gestation period. Another use is for blind parents, who, thanks to these objects made with easily palpable material, will be able to know what their child will be like.[11] However, many parents are becoming interested in having this object, so that they can have a material memory of their child's pregnancy.
Finally, we refer to the immobilization of a body member due to a fracture. Doctors normally use a plaster cast that takes about 20 hours to dry and remains completely rigid, potentially causing chafing in some cases. Cortex Exoskeleton is a project that uses a 3D printer to create an immobilization piece with the perfect size for each patient. To do this, a 3D scanner is used to obtain the exact measurement of the limb and, together with an x-ray to visualize the break and its position, it is sent to a printer that creates an immobilization piece. This piece is much stronger and lighter than a plaster cast; It also has a series of holes that allow the skin to breathe, thus preventing fungi from emerging. It is a single piece that has an opening through which the patient will insert the limb and it will close with hinges incorporated into the structure.[12] It is much more aesthetic and comfortable since it does not bulk out too much, so it will not cause problems with clothing. Thus, wristbands or splints can also be printed for people who need them.
Likewise, methods are being tested to efficiently print medical pills.
in architecture
The 3D printer is also used in architecture. Many people who have already used this printer highlight that it is usually economical, has a large print size, and is easy and quick to learn how to use. The 3D printer can even be faster when used.
Both architects and architecture students have rated 3D printing with the highest marks. The architect, as a technician accustomed to thinking in form and function, easily sees the advantages of this manufacturing method with 3D printing, and easily finds practical and clear uses for it, both to cover common activities and to expand the possibilities in his work.
3D printing in architecture is usually used for work such as models, furniture, among many more options. It is an easy-to-use and simple tool when learning to use it, plus it can be more economical to use it for models and many more things, the possibilities are enormous. All of this can help the student or architect more easily imagine their project, as well as the ease with which they can do it.