The technique opens up a world of possibilities. It can create objects inside of other objects or, as shown in one experiment, a handle around a metal screwdriver.
One more advantage of the process is that only the desired material hardens; the remaining resin is still usable, meaning almost zero waste is left over. But researchers are even imagining ways to use volumetric printing to arrange human cells into living organs, such as livers or kidneys.
“I think it might happen in the next decade that we may actually see a functional organ ready to be implanted or transplanted,” Heidari said.
Ultra-rapid 3d printing of complex structures and materials.
Work performed at the Laboratory of Applied Photonics Devices, EPFL, Switzerland.
More information available on our preprint paper: https://bit.ly/2QMVvZ1
https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2019/03/31/cal-lawrence-livermore-scientists-create-3d-printer-with-potential-to-print-life-itself/
