Researchers at the University of Minnesota are 3D printing electronics and cells directly on the skin that could create new methods for wound healing and enable biological agent detection.
The Minnesota researchers used a customized, low-cost 3D printer to print electronics on a human hand. They’ve also successfully printed biological cells on a sin wound of a mouse. The researchers suggest that the new technique could create new medical treatments for wound healing and graft treatments.
“We are excited about the potential of this new 3D-printing technology using a portable, lightweight printer costing less than $400,” said Michael McAlpine, the study’s lead author, in a press release. “We imagine that a soldier could pull this printer out of a backpack and print a chemical sensor or other electronics they need, directly on the skin. It would be like a ‘Swiss Army knife’ of the future with everything they need all in one portable 3D printing tool.”
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