A 3D printer with “eyes and brains” is being developed to print implants for regenerative medicine to repair damaged and/or lost body tissue. QUT biomedical engineers, in collaboration with Professor Paul Dalton from Oregon University, are working to bring the benefits of 3D printing to a range of biodegradable medical device designs that have never been printed before such as heart valves, bone scaffolds, membranes for dental tissue engineering, and soft actuators (soft robotics) for minimal invasive surgery.
Distinguished Professor Dietmar W. Hutmacher said implants and medical devices such as scaffolds made with 3D printing could be custom made and patient specific.
“In contrast, implants and devices produced through traditional manufacturing methods are usually in standard sizes,” Professor Hutmacher said. More info.