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The Future of 3D Printing and Healthcare

When it comes to 3D printing, the sky is the limit. As 3D printing technology continues to advance, applications can be as far reaching as  airplane  and  automobile parts  to medical devices and even anatomically correct, biocompatible models. Although 3D printing technology is developing at a rapid pace, the technology itself is not new. It emerged in  the 1980s  as a means of creating rapid prototypes. In recent years the applications for 3D printed models have evolved with the available hardware, software, and printable materials. Evolving technology, paired with the creative and innovative minds of scientists, engineers, and physicians, has been the launching pad for developments within 3D printing technology specific to healthcare. One way 3D printing technology is poised to create better patient outcomes is in creating an anatomically and  patient-specific models  to aid in surgery and medical procedures. With the capability to 3D ...
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Plastic Bridges and Roads

Plastic bridge
Who knew that recycled plastics from automobile bumpers and milk jugs could make a bridge strong enough to support a 70-ton tank?
Constructed from more than one million recycled milk jugs (170,000 pounds in total) and scrap plastic from automotive bumpers, the 17 foot, fiberglass-reinforced bridge was installed in the autumn of 2008 near Fort Bragg, NC. To test its “metal,” the U.S. Army drove an M1 Abrams tank across the new plastic bridge. According to researchers at the Rutgers Institute of Advanced Materials, a tank is four-times more difficult to support than a semi.
Military officials claim that a comparable wood bridge would weigh three times as much, require more fasteners, take three times longer to build and cost considerably more. Plastic bridges are built to withstand very heavy loads while requiring little maintenance – most are expected to last at least 50 years.
Given the strong public desire to recycle everyday plastics, and the considerable challenges posed by America’s aging infrastructure, there would seem to be a bright future in store for this technology.
Soon enough, this technology may spread. A team of entrepreneurs has developed new technology that recycles plastics for use in road construction. The plastics repel water, helping to prevent seepage that compromises the integrity of the surface. The resulting surface can help extend the life of roads three-fold. This application has caught the government of India’s attention where the first projects have been widely celebrated.

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The Future of 3D Printing and Healthcare

When it comes to 3D printing, the sky is the limit. As 3D printing technology continues to advance, applications can be as far reaching as  airplane  and  automobile parts  to medical devices and even anatomically correct, biocompatible models. Although 3D printing technology is developing at a rapid pace, the technology itself is not new. It emerged in  the 1980s  as a means of creating rapid prototypes. In recent years the applications for 3D printed models have evolved with the available hardware, software, and printable materials. Evolving technology, paired with the creative and innovative minds of scientists, engineers, and physicians, has been the launching pad for developments within 3D printing technology specific to healthcare. One way 3D printing technology is poised to create better patient outcomes is in creating an anatomically and  patient-specific models  to aid in surgery and medical procedures. With the capability to 3D ...
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Virginia Tech Students Create Foldable Bike Helmets

Helmets: Something you may have hated with a passion as a child, but your parents made you wear. As adults, one could argue helmet use is pretty divided. If you head down your local bike path or along a neighborhood street, you’ll see a good number of riders not wearing their helmets. Two Virginia Tech students think that’s a problem. Co-founders David Hall and Jordan Klein started  Park & Diamond  and set out to create a safe, compact, and stylish helmet to hopefully convince people to wear them every time they bike. The interest in refining technology to prevent bike related head injuries is  incredibly personal  for the team of innovators, especially for Hall. In 2015 Hall’s younger sister was involved in a bike accident in Philadelphia and remained in a coma for four months. The bicycle crash occurred at the corner of Park Avenue and Diamond Street in Philadelphia—which is reflected in the name of their company. How Helmets Work Just like the...
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