NEW 3D Printer uses Living Matter in new Breakthrough! - Future Tech - Part 24.

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3D printing is nothing new, you can buy your very own for less than $200. But now there is one that can print using living matter.

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A new type of 3D printing has been developed by scientist in Zurich, Switzerland that uses actual living matter to create complex shapes and be used in both industrial and medical platforms.

The 3D printer works just like a regular 3D printer but instead of using heated plastic it uses living matter. This new type of ink can be used to create whole 3D objects and have the added benefit of being able to change the type of bacteria used.
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Functional Living Ink or, Flink is the name it was given when it was developed. Flink is a bacteria based ink that is combined with hydrogel and various vitamins and nutrients which serve to both help the Flink to hold its shape and to keep the bacteria alive.
The benefits of this revolutionary Ink and Printing is different types of bacteria can be used. The team behind the breakthrough used Pseudomonas putida and Acetobacter xylinum in a cross hatch 3D shape and placed it in water polluted with nanocellulose and phenol, after a short while, the Flink broke down the pollutants and purified the water.

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It also could be useful for medical work such as skin grafts to create a barrier of good bacteria making sure the graft will hold and not get infected. This same procedure could also be used in transplants to make sure the new organ is not rejected. With the ability to print direct onto a 3D object, so could it to print direct onto a patient or organ.

During the research, the team behind this said in This Statement how they had to find the right combination of ingredients and the correct consistency for the ink to flow through a pressurized nozzle and still remain sturdy enough to hold its shape.
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Co Author of the statement, Patrick Rühs goes on to say...

“Printing using bacteria-containing hydrogels has enormous potential, as there is such a wide range of useful bacteria out there.”

He also blames the reputation such microorganisms as bacteria have for there not to being as much research done as there should be into additive methods involving bacteria.

“Most people only associate bacteria with diseases, but we actually couldn’t survive without bacteria,”

Rühs goes on to say that the bacteria they are using is 100% safe and very beneficial.
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The one problem at the moment with this 3D printing Flink is it is a very slow process and can not easily be scaled up, but the team are positive that such challenges can be overcome and the new technology can be used to great benefit in the future.