My heart is out of ink November 3, 2008

Today printers are getting more accurate, more powerful, more sophisticated, and now, more medically applicable, and not just for printing out pictures of flowers. In about 20 years, according to scientist Makoto Nakamura, doctors will be able to print out new hearts for people. Called bioprinting, it in essence is an organ photo-copier, taking cells and placing them in the same places as the original. So far Nakamura has only gotten as far as a blood vessel look-alike, but it’s a start.