Is 2015 the Breakout Year for Technology Expansion?
For years now, we have been reading about the increasingly ubiquitous spread of technology and how it’s impacted every imaginable part of our lives.
Most of us are usually focused on what’s new or what’s next in technology. At least, the media is always chasing this. We don’t usually stop and think about how a technology that was created for one purpose is being adopted to a brand new one. But this is also where we see genius.
It wasn’t that long ago (Jan. 1960) that a MIT employee, J.C.R. Licklider, first wrote a series of memos about his idea for an “Intergalactic Computer Network.” His idea was to connect many different computer systems together to quickly exchange data between different U.S. Government departments. Thirty years later, this became known as the Internet and it has transformed the way the entire world communicates with each other.
Here’s another example: at one time, Americans purchased cameras, video cameras, calendars, watches, televisions, radios, and computers. These are all very different devices and items, and each has a particular purpose. But today, a single smartphone can perform all of these functions.
Who would have thought that a simple telephone – smartphone – could perform so many functions?
In 2015, we will be seeing technology being reinterpreted to solve new problems and in new fields. 3D printers, for example, could have such a breakout effect.
3D printing is not about making tools anymore.
3D printing is the process of making a three-dimensional solid object (a thing) from a digital model (computer file). The object can be created by an “additive process,” meaning that the thing is created by laying down successive layers of material until the entire object is created. What kind of material? Well, it’s not ink. The material is referred to as “filament” which can be plastic, metal, or other substance. This technology works by computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software, which has been used in industrial applications for prototyping for many years since the 1980s.
Now, with 3D printers available for under $1,000, they may very well become more popular in 2015. MakerBot Industries serves the commercial and consumer markets with its array of 3D printers and filaments. It also is heavily involved in the 3D design community with its website Thingiverse.com, which offers open source hardware designs to be used on 3D printers. Thingiverse is also a great site to check out and share the latest 3D printed creations in a variety of categories like toys, games, tools and gadgets, fashion, household, and art.
3D printing food.
According to Inquisitr, 3D printing of food is becoming increasingly popular. Food companies are actually printing consumable food with a 3D printer. Simple food items like chocolate, hamburgers, sugar candy, ravioli, and corn chips are being made through a printer. In fact, NASA gave a $125,000 grant to Systems & Materials Research to create a prototype for a universal food synthesizer (3D printer). The first thing on the menu? Pizza. Why pizza? Because pizza is created in successive layers of ingredients. So what would a 3D pizza be made of? Well, dough would first be printed and then the 3D printer would mix tomato powder with water and oil to print a tomato sauce. The topping would not be the typical cheese and pepperoni, but a “protein layer.”
What does the protein layer consist of? Well, anything that has nutrients in it and can be consumed for many, many years (think long term space flight). Seeds, bugs, and even algae can be synthesized into a compound, and yes, used as the “protein layer.” Yum.
Taste aside, when you consider that the world’s population may be 10.5 billion by 2050 by some projections, having 3D printing technology makes sense.
Check out this video that discusses 3D printed food:
3D printing human organs.
While 3D printing has ushered in a brave new world of plastic, metal, and consumable “filament” items to be printed, this technology has also captured the interest of biotechnology companies and academia for the potential uses of engineering human organs and body parts.
How would this work? Well, instead of layering and layering filaments of plastic, metal, or a consumable filament to form an object, the device would output layer-upon-layer of living cells. The interesting connection to commercial and industrial 3D printers is that the device’s head still moves from left to right and back and forth to create its object.
According to the American Transplant Foundation, there are nearly 120,000 people waiting for an organ transplant that may save their lives, so imagine how 3D printing could revolutionize the medical field. In fact, there are companies working with universities around the world performing research experimenting with animal cells and inkjet printers to create a viable organic object.
Since 2010, Organovo, has been bioprinting blood vessels from a single person, and is anticipating running human trials of bioprinted tissues in 2015. This San Diego company’s website states that it designs and creates functional human tissues using their proprietary three-dimensional bioprinting technology. Their goal is to “build living human tissues that are proven to function like native tissues.” In fact, Organovo hopes to print a functioning liver this year – not ready for human implantation – but for testing and development.
Technology is innovating and expanding – especially 3D printing. As we enter 2015, keep your eyes open to new technologies that are being used in new and surprising ways!
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