RAPID Conference was held at Orlando, US from May 17-19,2016. Many world-wide companies attended the conference with zeal and there were many medical gears worth eye catching, including the Titanium hip, Patient Specific device manufacturing and a Custom printed porous skull implant.

SkinResQU, Centre for skin research at the University of Gothenburg and Chalmers, is planning to 3D Print human skin with purpose of transplants and testing medical treatments. Since the prohibition of animal skin, it is difficult for clinical trials and donated skin parts aren't sufficient, 3D Printed Skin appears to be the perfect solution.

Artec,developer and manufacturer of professional 3D hardware and software and platform for 3D printing models Threeding.com, have announced today about their new collaborative project to produce a variety of 3D models based on the anatomy of animals. To combat the price issues, Threeding.com have announced that the collection of 40 models will be made entirely free to aid veterinary students and biological scientists.

Students at Rutgers University-Camde, New Jersey, are working with bioprinters for the first time to develop scaffolds for tissues. They are characterizing the materials of scaffolding to determine how applicable they'll be with the cells used to create tissues. On other hand, David Salas-de la Cruz, an assistant professor of chemistry is interested in biodegradable biomaterials.

A team of researchers from three universities including the Illinois Institute of Technology, recently published a Journal regarding emissions from 3D Printers concerning about health hazards of 3D Printing. PLA filament emitting lactide bits and ABS filaments emitting Styrene were worth concerning, however, the exposure levels need to be high enough for them to be effectively harmful.

Longhua Funeral Parlor, a funeral home in Shanghai, has started 3D Printing body parts for damaged corpses replacing the traditional use of wax or sludge. The whole process involves building multiple layers of material on top of each other to construct a three-dimensional product.

MatterHackers has announced its partnership with e-NABLE community to to create the first comprehensive online retail hub for educators and volunteer groups. e-NABLE Hub will be utilizing MatterHackers’ expertise to choose the right 3D printer, filament, and accessories for a project, as well as offer recommendations from the e-NABLE community.

Tyler and Tyson were two twins sharing chest, abdomen and a liver creating difficulties for their surgical separation. However, using 3D Printing technology, surgeons at Children's National Medical Center in Washington created models and were able to visualize the whole operation before the actual surgery, thereby leading a successful surgery.

Scientists from Imperial College London and the University of Milano-Bicocca have developed a material that can mimim Cartilage and potentially help it to re-grow. Consisting of silica and a plastic or polymer called polycaprolactone, this Bio-glass has cartilage-like properties including being flexible, strong, durable and resilient and planned for replacing damaged cartilage discs between vertebrae.

Xiaolei Wang, and his colleagues from NanChang University, have developed antibacterial materials based on silver nanoparticles enclosed in carbon membranes that act as switchable capsules. These switchable smart bandages, when pressed, causes the layers to interact, releasing the active silver particles and changing the color from white to orange, showing the bandage is on.

Researchers at Johns Hopkin's University in Baltimore have developed cost-effective ways of growing mini-brains in lab, which will be used to study the Zika virus. These Mini-Brains were grown by 3D Printed Bio-reactors designed by high school students and using neural stem cells, and will help in developing treatment regimes for Zika virus.

Rokit, South Korean 3D printing company, received $3M from government last year as a boost and has now appeared with its Edison Invivo 3D Printer to take on Bio-printing market. Edison Invivo uses a bio ink to produce cell structures in the form of organic tissue, and compatible biomaterials include PLGA, PCL, PLLA, collagen, Alginate, Silk fibroi.

Student researchers from University of Leeds, UK, have developed Project ALAN (Advanced upper-Limb Autonomous Neuro-rehabilitation) with its first component being myPAM, an assistive system engineered to help NHS deal with Stroke. To help post-stroke patients move and re-engage their upper limb muscles,they will be assisted by myPAM which has been 3D printed using OctoPrint.

Researchers from the Cybernetics Department of the Military University of Technology in Warsaw have developed 3D Printed Artificial Hearts from Zortrax M200 3D printers, which are currently being used for research purpose solely. However, company is looking forward to use these Artificial 3D Printed Hearts as transplants in patients.

Michaëla van Leeuwen, a farmer in Netherlands, launched her 3D printed Cheese product at a Dutch food conference in April. Criticizing the falling prices of milk in Netherlands, she believes this added product will increase relationship with her customers and also allow creating a niche market.

Emmy Hoffman from Philadelphia was born with Symbrachydactly, which didn't allow her to fingers to grow since birth. Shoemaker and a team at Mission College collaborated to produce a 3D Printed Prosthetic hand for Emmy, helping her ride her new bike again.

Formalabs recently launched its Dental SG Resin, a certified biocompatible Class 1 material, designed specifically for creating high-precision surgical guides directly from 3D models. Marketed as first commercially available biocompatible resin for desktop printing, it will provide high-precision drill guides from digital scan data for implant surgeries.

Researchers from the University College London’s School of Pharmacy have concluded that 3D Printers using Stereolithography (SLA) technology are most viable and potent for manufacturing oral tablets for prescription drugs. This will allow them to keep the drugs contained with the “solidified matrices” thus reducing degradation and enhancing drug action.

BeeHex, a Texas company commissioned by NASA, has developed a device to 3D Print pizzas for astronauts who are scheduled to go Mars around 2030. While this device will churn out fine pizzas within half a minute, the bio-ink is edible and will roll out its manufacture soon.

Materialise announced the signing of an agreement to see Canon Lifecare Solutions distributing software solutions from the Materialise Mimics Innovation and Care Suites in Japan. With this agreement, users of workstations and 3D printers offered by Canon Lifecare Solutions will be able to benefit from Materialise’s open and flexible software solutions.

A team of students from Gonzaga University have developed an Ankle Foot Orthosis (AFO) which can be 3D Printed within 2 days compared to weeks. This AFO is produced after using 3D Scanner to get accurate measurements, and then printing it using CAD software.

After arriving at ER of Chung-Ang University Hospital, South Korean Woman was diagnosed with Subarachnoid Brain Hemorrhage following CT scans confirmation. As the brain collapsed, patient needed skull transplant for which the neurosurgeons approached to 3D Printed Skull using pure titanium.

Mach7 Technologies, a global provider of enterprise medical image management solutions, and 3D Medical Limited announced signing of definitive agreement to merge together which will provide access via public capital markets for Mach7 while preserving corporate self-determination. Upon approval and completion of the agreement, the merged entity will be publicly listed on the Australian stock exchange (ASX) and will trade as "Mach7 Technologies Ltd".

4WEB Medical recently announced at the North American Spine Society annual meeting in Chicago that the company has launched its Posterior Spine Truss System in the U.S. market. This Posterior Spine Truss System will provide treatment options to lumbar spine patients and one of the finest implants.

Médecins Sans Frontières, aka Doctors Without Borders are planning to use 3D Printing and Virtual reality technologies for organization setup field hospitals. The 3D Models and Virtual Reality reproduction of a recently designed facility in Cantahay, Philippines for 2013 typhoon victims was first of the project.

3D Printed Hearts have been used by surgeons since long as the perfect virtual guide to surgeries. Since the Jump Trading Center of OSF Saint Francis Medical Center opened back in 2013, there have been alot of advancement, and now they have whole library with more than 40 3D printed hearts.

Nano Dimensions ltd announced today that they filed a patent application with US for printing of shielded conductors combined in a Printed Circuit Board (PCB). They have developed a 3d printing method that creates printed sheaths to shield conductors like insulated cables.

The company Sinterex has established a facility in Ras al-Khaimah, which is about a 1.5 hour drive from Dubai. Sinterex plans to concentrate its printing efforts on regional energy, aviation, and manufacturing firms, and the company will also offer market research and consulting services.

Additive Industries and its design partner VanBerlo have won Red Dot Awardfor their industrial 3D metal printing system, MetalFAB1. This printer is the company’s first integrated additive manufacturing machine for high-end metal parts, and its VanBerlo-designed exterior reflects advanced industrial technology’s aesthetics.

Since coral reefs are depleting, causing a great worry, 3D printed reef were implanted in the Persian Gulf, which sunk there in 2012. Scientists are now looking forward to 3D Print coral reefs made of porcelain coating to serve as real-like corals for ecosystem to be maintained.

Students of Lynbrook High School’s Advanced Design and Innovation Class are studying 3D printing, and they’re using it to design adaptive and assistive devices for children, namely the children at St. Mary’s Hospital. Using the design and drafting skills, they are building devices like customized wheelchair trays, adaptive spoons, cause/effect toys and iPad stylus pens.

S. Ramadorai, Chairman, National Skill Development Agency, recently stated regarding lack of Doctors in rural areas, that 3D Printing is emerging as a breakthrough in medicine. Biological tissues are being globally printed, living organs will be a practical reality soon, and India needs to tackle shortage of Doctors with further refining of such technologies in our sector.

Scientists from TechShot, developed a method to 3D Print structures in zero gravity, pioneering for space future programs. Printing a viable heart structure, scientists believe that this method of using low-viscosity bio-inks and finer printer tips will open doors for space-based bioprinter for human healthcare.

Materialise and Belgian Desginer, Dávid Ring, produced luxury custom eyeglasses which are completely printed using 3D Print Technology. For the lenses, the team used Stereolithography while for the frames, Laser Sintered was used.

Micromachining is Superfinishing, a metalworking process for producing very fine surface finishes and it's main applications include creating stents for coronary, peripheral and neurological uses. But can it beat 3D Printing? This has been a topic of debate but some seem to integrate both for the Ultimate cause.

At the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons’ (AAOS) Annual Meeting in Orlando, Materialise will be introducing a new software suite for 3D printing in hospitals. The suite will allow hospitals to create better pre-operation plans, master 3D printing file preparations, 3D print anatomical models for complex cases, and integrate 3D printing into the surgical workflow.

Researchers from the School of Science have found photopolymers used in 3D printing which are toxic and exposure them can potentially pose health and environmental risks. Though these health risks are currently unknown but allergies through skin contacts are possible, as skin is the most common route of exposure to photopolymers during handling of parts and 3D printing materials.

Using an innovative 3D inkjet printing method, researchers from Chemical and Biological Engineering at the University of Sheffield have developed silk 'Micro-Rockets' which are biodegradable and harmless to biological system. Being just 300 microns in length and 100 microns in diameter, these silk-catalyst made rockets can be used for Drug delivery and locating cancer cells.

Professor Rashid Abu Al-Rub and his team at Masdar Institute, United Arab Emirates is developing methods to change the internal geometric structure of familiar plastics, metals, ceramics and composites. Using the 3D Printing Technology as the only solution, they seek to revolutionize the existing 3D printing patterns and provide light-weight but strong materials for applications.

What does aesthetic dentistry have to offer the discerning dental patient both now and potentially in the not-too-distant future? The possibility of fabricating 3D teeth with antimicrobial properties is already being explored.

“With the ever-changing landscape of professional sports, we’re always looking for the next cutting-edge technology and innovation to aid athletes that compete in the UFC,” UFC Senior Vice President of Global Consumer Products Tracey Bleczinski said. “We are excited to partner with GuardLab as they continue to develop products that help improve the overall performance and wellness of professional athletes.”

Few people enjoy going to the dentist, but if you can lie back and watch a big screen TV above you or listen to your favorite music, it’s not such a bad way to while away a few hours. Dentistry has certainly changed over the years, but 3D technology has brought about even more dramatic developments in recent years.

Some factory bosses have said that 3D printing will never replace mass manufacturing. Perhaps, but it does not have to transform production processes. Additive-manufacturing systems are being mashed together with traditional production methods, which themselves are improving with digital technologies. Even old-fashioned metal bashing and welding is going high-tech.

3D printing provides a high degree of laboratory rationalization as it can satisfy many different dental indications and is also cost-effective. Materials development is central to the adoption of 3D printing in new dental applications.

Will.i.am thinks we will be 3D printing human beings in the future, although his comments were met with skepticism from biology experts. Perhaps a better starting point would be teeth. That’s the sole purpose of a new device called the Objet260 Dental Selection, unveiled by 3D printing firm Stratasys.

The University of Gdansk, Poland, has ventured into era of 3D Printing and launched "3D Printing in Medicine", a medical course, first of its kind. Led by Paediatricians, and supplied by Zortrax, it aims to provide theoretical as well as practical scenarios to the students to further discover creating and utilizing 3D Printing Models for Medicine.

Two volunteers, Cristian Fracassi and Alessandro Romaioli, from Italy, used 3D Printing to create replicas of medical valves used in life-saving treatment of Corona Virus. However, the company with original patent denied them the files for creating them, but they also didn't sue them for creating illegal copies of their device. The Medical valves costing 10,000-11,000 USD, was created for as low as 1 USD and distributed in hospitals in Italy facing severe shortage of them.