Scientists 3D-Print Human Skin and Bone For Mars Astronauts (cnet.com) 39
Scientists from the University Hospital of Dresden Technical University in Germany have successfully bio-printed skin and bone samples upside down to help determine if the method could be used in a low-gravity environment. CNET reports: The skin sample was printed using human blood plasma as a "bio ink." The researchers added plant and algae-based materials to increase the viscosity so it wouldn't just fly everywhere in low gravity. "Producing the bone sample involved printing human stem cells with a similar bio-ink composition, with the addition of a calcium phosphate bone cement as a structure-supporting material, which is subsequently absorbed during the growth phase," said Nieves Cubo, a bioprinting specialist at the university. These samples are just the first steps for the ESA's ambitious 3D bio-printing project, which is investigating what it would take to equip astronauts with medical and surgical facilities to help them survive and treat injuries on long spaceflights and on Mars.
Re:I keep hearing about all these fantastic-soundi (Score:5, Interesting)
Early lab test vs releasable commercial products takes time. For instance, I was already reading up on what we know today as Blu-Ray disks back before Windows 95 even launched. There were lab tests being done using blue spectrum lasers for optical disc storage, when the current best consumer tech was CDs, which were still very new to market.
In that same era, there were talks of rechargeable batteries that could replace NiCad that didnt suffer the memory effect from partial discharging. Today we have Li-Ion. In the same era, there was talks of everyone walking around with a computer in their pocket more powerful than anything on the market in that day, and now we have multi-core multi-GHz cell phones and even wrist watches!
One of the greatest powers of the internet is that we get to see technology in the earliest stages of infancy. And I for one, personally absolutely *LOVE* seeing the bleeding edge of research.
Both right (Score:3)
You are both right, give or take some precision.
according to wikipedia :
- Research on Blue Lasers [wikipedia.org] started in the 60s, first efficient blue LED is in 1992, and first blue laser in 1996
- Win 95 [wikipedia.org] got released in august of 1995.
- The first predecessors to Blu-ray [wikipedia.org] got prototypes and early devices released in 2000. Given that release, it is safe to assue that the first development of the concept began during mid 90s, probably as soon as the frist blue LED appeared.
So basically, you're both right saying all the abo
Re: (Score:2)
Probably not before Windows 95 was released, given that blue lasers were only invented in 1996. I suppose someone may have realized that they were possible earlier though and done some theoretical calculations.
Re: (Score:3)
given that blue lasers were only invented in 1996.
Actually, the HeCd laser was invented in 1967. [episodictable.com]
Re: (Score:2)
True, I should have specified "solid state laser small enough to fit in an optical drive".
Re: (Score:3)
That was entirely my point though. Reading about early development vs commercially viable products. The lasers were in very large testing labs, certainly NOT something small and viable for a consumer. In 1995 DVD was only initially being introduced in Japan (not even globally yet for another 2 years), but specs for "what was next" was already being discussed and experimented with.
Re:Still hard to believe (Score:5, Insightful)
"rough 3D printing plastic" is significantly older. What happened a few years back is the patents expired, so the tech became public. Once again, patents held back innovation, rather than promoting it! https://www.finnegan.com/en/in... [finnegan.com]
Free rider problem (Score:3)
Once again, patents held back innovation, rather than promoting it!
Only for a time and not really in the big picture. It's fairly likely that without the patents the technology never would have been developed or commercialized in the first place or if it had been it would have happened much slower. Patents exist to deal with the free rider problem [wikipedia.org]. If you have a better solution to that particular problem please publish it in a peer reviewed journal and collect your Nobel Prize in Economics.
That's the problem with copyright is that its duration has been extended FAR beyo
Re: (Score:2)
Honestly, I'm having trouble wrapping my head around ...
Print yourself some more skin for your head- should be easier to wrap it around things then.
They should print the whole thing. (Score:2)
It isn't like people will be too healthy after a few months in interplanetary space, they better have all the spare parts they need.
Re: (Score:2)
So we can produce the spare parts, but the surgical procedures to actually replace the "parts" are still very delicate here on Earth. If this can help spur some advances in recovery times for these types of surgeries, or different techniques that are less intrusive, it'd be a great advancement even if we can't use it in space. I'm sure NASA or the ESA don't want to have their astronauts recovering for 6 months for a bone reconstruction while in space.
Re: (Score:2)
They'll figure it out faster if death is imminent. Shoot them up with plenty of spares and let evolution and ingenuity take its course. Libera tutemet ex inferis.
Re: (Score:2)
Also, you can greatly reduce life-support overhead if you wait until after the spaceship lands, and then 3D-print the crew on-site.
Forget the theoretical Mars Astronauts - (Score:5, Insightful)
How about printing replacement skin for BURNS VICTIMS ON EARTH?
Pretending to do it for Mars astronauts is pure woo, and only satisfies the interests of Cnet's advertisers.
Re: (Score:2)
Two reasons.
First, it's funded by the ESA, so naturally they want something they can use.
Second, these bones and this skin is not an ideal solution. They are inferior to other artificial bones and skin that can be manufactured on Earth, and inferior to skin grafts for burn victims. You wouldn't really want to use them unless you had no choice, say because you were millions of kilometres from Earth.
How's the view from your cave? (Score:3)
How about printing replacement skin for BURNS VICTIMS ON EARTH?
They are working on that [nih.gov]. 20 seconds of effort on google would have shown you that fact. Why do you think it is an either/or sort of thing. If you can print it for space use by definition you can do it on earth and in fact it probably makes the production more robust.
How's the view from your cave [themarysue.com]? Do you have any idea how much technology developed for the space program has improved your life?
Pretending to do it for Mars astronauts is pure woo, and only satisfies the interests of Cnet's advertisers.
A) It's not "pure woo" because it is a legitimate scientific question
B) There is nothing wrong with a technology
Cut out the middle man (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
It's so expensive to ship live monkeys in a can all the way to Mars, why don't we just send a robot and have it 3D print the humans when it gets there and has Starbucks and WalMart set up?
We need to do more experiments on how lattes and milk foam react with coffee in low gravity before we even begin to think about setting up a starbucks in space.
Re: (Score:2)
Upside down? (Score:2)
Sorry but I want my femur the normal way up and my skin with the hair on the outside, thank you very much.
Ultimately (Score:2)
Scientists 3D-Print Skin and Bone For Mars Astro.. (Score:2)
Scientists 3D-Print Human Skin and Bone For Mars Astronauts
Really? Why not then send an unmanned ship with a printer and print the entire thing (ie, human)?
Heck, treat it as a fax machine and print whatever they need straight from Earth! Gee, it's dark in here, print me a flashlight. Or I'm lost, print me a compass. (That would help them get back to Earth, but not much help on Mars I presume.) And other neat things.
Why heck, when it's almost out of resources just print another full tank, and you're ready to go! Apollo, Hell, they should have been concent
the Mars myth (Score:2)
An interesting concept for humans to Mars but in general going to Mars (except robots) is a myth first created by Percival Lowell. I've mentioned Mars is always 20 years away, Homer Hickham wrote this article that illustrates how it all began and how it still goes on.
"So, children, here is the truth: NASA has no plans now, nor has it ever had plans, nor does it have a plan to have plans to send humans to Mars." and Hickham listed those unplanned items.
http://homerhickamblog.blogspo... [blogspot.com]
In addition whenev