Saving Lives with 3D Printing

I am very enthusiastic about 3D printing and I am a big fan of TED talks as well.
Here's a very nice TED video on organs regeneration and research being done to use 3D printing to help save lives.

http://www.ted.com/talks/anthony_atala_printing_a_human_kidn ey.html

If you are not familiar with TED, I encourage you to check their site and watch the other videos. Some amazing stuff there.

Regards,
Luis

Don't get too excited. From the hospital website:

"Reports in the media that Dr. Anthony Atala printed a real kidney at the TED conference in Long Beach, Calif., are completely inaccurate. At the conference, Dr. Atala used a new type of technology to print a kidney-shaped mold and explained how one day – many years from now – the technology might be used to print actual organs.

At the conference, Atala was reunited with a former patient who received a laboratory-engineered bladder 10 years ago. News reports are incorrectly saying that he received a printed kidney.

Reports that bioprinting will eliminate the need for organ donation are also false. While this technology shows promise, it will be many years before it could be applied to patients."

Glenn

@lensman Thanks for the note of caution.

Along the same sort of lines, have you guys heard anything about this?

3D Printed Skin Could Revolutionize Treatment for Burn Victims

Nope. Didn't hear about that one. Same doctor and same institute/hospital.... He's getting quite a bit of press, isn' t he?

Glenn

The fact is, everything related to 3D printing has been getting quite a bit of press recently.

Yes, it is. It's a large bandwagon...