3D and 4D-printing in the healthcare sector

Prosthetics and tools printing

3D printing makes it possible to print simple prosthetics quickly and in a relatively cheap manner. Think of tools for children who grow quickly. With the combination of 3D scanning and printing, customized delivery has become much simpler. On-site scanning and printing saves material and transport costs, and thus makes a small contribution (1) to sustainability,

Customer satisfaction increases enormously (3) if unpleasant actions, such as biting for braces, can be omitted. Employees will also be very satisfied (3) if it is clear that the new working method makes their work better. They sometimes lose some of their craftwork. Testing this combination in the experimental stage is certainly not easy. There would be a 33 percent chance that the results are immediately such that you can continue with this method of treatment.

The creation of living adaptive tissue

Developments in 4D-print technology in healthcare will make it possible in the future to create active, adaptive cells with which implanted 4D-printed tissue can adapt to changes in the patient’s body. The possibilities this technology allows are slowly but surely shifting from the inorganic to the biological.

One of the many possible applications in healthcare is printing tissue for skin grafts. Over time, 4D-printed skin can change shape, forming a promising solution for heavier burns. Other applications include medical implants. 4D-printing technology can create form-changing structures and functionality, eliminating the need for external intervention. The goal is to print ‘parts’ that can survive in the patient’s body for as long as he or she lives.

Scientists in bio-programmable matter and nanotechnology are also developing ‘personalised medicine’ and ‘smart pharmacology’. Research projects such as ‘DNA-origami’ illustrate that nanoscale protein structures are capable of creating nanorobots that can detect and destroy cancer cells in a patient’s body.