3D printing: More than just fast prototyping, models and gimmicks

[Ace-Garageguy]

Lab-Made Heart Represents 'Moonshot' for 3D Printing

              http://www.livescience.com/41280-3d-printing-heart.html

[Snake45]

I want one! And then a giant Hooker Headers tattoo on my chest!

[SfanGoch]

Using the patient's own stem cells will solve the problem of organ rejection and the use of immunosuppressive drugs.

[Ace-Garageguy]

We live in interesting times. Using the patient's own stem cells also neatly side-steps the ethical issue of using fetal stem cells while, as you say, avoiding the tissue rejection problem entirely.

Once the techniques are fully developed, any functional body part should be available pretty much to order, made of living tissue, and manufactured to fit exactly where the damaged or even missing part was originally.

Ray Kurzweil's recent book Fantastic Voyage: Live Long Enough to Live Forever makes a strong case for the impact of these rapidly evolving technologies in health to move humans towards immortality.

With guaranteed-fit, OEM replacement parts available in the not too distant future, it might just be true.  

[Harry P.]

I want one! And then a giant Hooker Headers tattoo on my chest!

Or maybe just a giant hooker...

[Foxer]

Or maybe just a giant hooker...

... supplied by her stem cells.

[Ace-Garageguy]

... supplied by her stem cells.

Well, in the long term, you could order up the whole hooker to be printed out. Only part that might prove really tricky is the brain, but that's not primarily what you're after anyway, right? 

Edited March 30, 2016 by Ace-Garageguy

[blunc]

food could be printed also...

you could "print out" the best steak you ever had...repeatedly.

[Ace-Garageguy]

food could be printed also...

you could "print out" the best steak you ever had...repeatedly.

Yeah, you could print out a 'living' steak, lamb chops, veal, headless chicken, frogs' legs...pain-free, cruelty-free protein source for us carnivores. 

Which reminds me..work IS being done on growing cow-free beef, etc.   http://www.livescience.com/3904-free-beef-proposed.html

But wait...there's MORE...    http://www.geek.com/news/startup-gets-350k-in-funding-to-3d-print-meat-1509683/

                                                                       

Edited March 30, 2016 by Ace-Garageguy