Perreault Magazine - 52 -
The past year has witnessed a series of startling advances. In March, researchers at Harvard used a 3D printer to construct a blood vessel. It is an advance that could prove critical in printing fully functioning kidneys. In May, scientists at The Scripps Research Institute revealed they had created a new life form by adding DNA “letters” not found in nature. The breakthrough could lead to the development of new medicines and new materials. In June, the Fraunhofer Institute unveiled a simple fuel cell with an output of one kilowatt—enough to power a single home. Later, Lockheed Martin went public with plans for a modest-sized nuclear fusion reactor that might power an entire city. If either technology scales, it could end the utility industry as we know it. In July, Google and Novartis said they were teaming up to create a new “smart” contact lens capable not only of automatically adjusting its focus but also of monitoring the glucose levels in a diabetic.
Longer term, the lenses might be upgraded to deliver drugs and detect cancer.
A new 3-D printing technique
Living layers: Harvard researchers demonstrate their method for creating vascularized tissue constructs by printing cell-laden inks in a layered zig-zag pattern.
JACK ULDRICH
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