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Inkjet Printer Prints out Human Skin

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the tattoos-made-easy dept.

Anonymous Award writes "Scientists at the University of Manchester in the UK have developed a type of inkjet printer that can print human cells. The scientists claim that it will be possible to print 'made-to-measure' tissue and bones to be grown simply by inputting their dimensions into a computer. But that's not all, the printer's creator claims that the potential of his team's discovery is enormous: 'You could print the scaffolding to create an organ in a day,' well, one day maybe. Where could this technology lead in a 100 years I wonder? Could it lead to a fax machine for complete living organisms?"

11 of 359 comments (clear)

  1. Great Marketing by fembots · · Score: 5, Funny

    If you can't afford this skin surgery, you can always get sponsorship from companies like Intel and let the printer print a non-removable "Intel Outside" on your new skin.

    This guy is going to get so excited.

    --
    Rock that crushes, Paper & Scissors that don't matter.
  2. So by cbrocious · · Score: 5, Funny

    So you're saying that I can print a new liver? Sweet! *breaks out a 6-pack*

    --
    Disconnect and self-destruct, one bullet at a time.
  3. Molding or creation ? by cyberfunk2 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "Team leader Professor Brian Derby says that they are the only team in the world to work out how to print human cells without destroying them in the process."

    So, does this mean they're taking skin cells that are already created en masse from cell culturing and reshaping them? I mean, I assume they're not just "printing" new actual cells, right ? The article seems a little vague on this point.

  4. Carts.. by Sc00ter · · Score: 5, Funny
    Will the carts be region coded?

    --
    Free Mac Mini
  5. obviously by Hyksos · · Score: 5, Funny

    Obviously the local gag at the lab is printing out a huge penis on your coworker's printer. Literally.

  6. Refills by Captoo · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm sure that owners of these printers will have to pay a heck of a lot for small refill cartridges. Probably almost as much as they pay for ink for their regular printers. :-)

  7. Buttocks by BabyDave · · Score: 5, Funny

    This gives photocopying your bum a disturbing new dimension ...

  8. Beam Me Up, Mr. Scot by ackthpt · · Score: 5, Interesting
    Where could this technology lead in a 100 years I wonder? Could it lead to a fax machine for complete living organisms?"

    This was one of the theories exlained to me, years ago in a physics class on how matter transportation may be accomplished...reconstructing by layers.

    The downside was you had to be destroyed to find out what you were made of in order to reassemble you.

    --

    A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
  9. Re:Skin by sconeu · · Score: 5, Funny


    I think so, Brain, but where are we going to get 40 cheerleaders and a vat of Cheez-Whiz?
    NARF!
    </PINKY>

    --
    General Relativity: Space-time tells matter where to go; Matter tells space-time what shape to be.
  10. Re:Obligatory porn comment by aslate · · Score: 5, Funny

    Or the spam industry!

    "Print your new, longer pen1s today! No need for vi4gra! Download the new 12 inch model today!"

    However i fear the nozzle will get clogged half-way through.

  11. Re:Obligatory porn comment by mjt+AG · · Score: 5, Funny

    That's funny you immediately thought about getting a new pen1s. I for one thought about printing out different types of girls.