Two weeks ago, I traveled to Las Vegas, Nevada to attend the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES). The event was absolutely massive in scale, spanning 1.9 million square feet, lasting 4 days, and involving 150,000 industry insiders and 3,000 different exhibitors.
CES is comparable to a giant mall filled with products you can’t yet buy. The vast majority of its makeup consists of smartphone accessories, televisions, and audio equipment — it’s actually surprisingly bland, for the most part.
Disruptive innovations are the proverbial needle in a haystack at CES — or perhaps it’s more accurate to say diamonds in the rough. It’s a chore to find anything exciting, but when you do, it’s certainly worthwhile.
In a drowning sea of innocuous iPhone covers and assorted HDMI cables, there were scattered plots of dry land. Consumer robotics, wearable computing, and fuel cells all offered a breath of fresh air… but it was 3D printing that truly stood out above all else.
3D printing has become so large that CES decided to designate an entire section to the industry this year. Not surprisingly, it was one of the busiest areas of the show.
There were nearly a dozen different vendors printing products such as jewelry, action figures, and personalized wedding cake toppers. There was even a device that could print various kinds of candy (Willy Wonka, eat your heart out).
It’s becoming increasingly clear that 3D printing isn’t just a fad or a niche service anymore. The reach of 3D printing is growing, and it’s beginning to touch industries most of us couldn’t have dreamed of just a few years ago.
It Knows No Bounds
Did you know that companies are now making 3D printers for the purpose of building entire houses? How about the fact that GE and Rolls Royce are printing jet engines? Or that Boeing is using the newfound technology to build commercial airplanes, such as its luxurious 787 Dreamliner?
Now, that might sound a bit crazy to some of you, but believe it or not, it’s all been happening for some time now. The reality is that jet engines, plane parts, and even edibles are relatively old news for 3D printing — today, there are far more exciting applications on the horizon.
Just last month, researchers from the University of Cambridge released some incredible findings on the use of 3D printing in regenerative medicine. The group found it could use inkjet printing to restore cells of the central nervous system and rebuild certain retinal cells to treat blindness.
Part of what makes this research so amazing is the complexity of the human eye. Our retinas contain various components and layers of cells that need to be connected just right, much like the inner workings of a tiny computer.
This particular research coming out of Cambridge is focused on just one type of retinal cell, but it’s certainly a crucial step in the right direction.
While it’s certainly true that we’re still years away from rebuilding a working human eye with 3D printing, that doesn’t mean we can’t build simpler structures in the meantime.
In fact, we already are…
3D Bodies
Because of its ability to pump out tailor-fit products, 3D printing has seen a growing interest from the fields of prosthetics and medicine over the past several years.
Using 3D scans, scientists at Cornell University have been able to successfully print ears for children using cells from a cow. Meanwhile, the folks at Washington State are custom-fitting bones, and researchers at Wake Forest are printing out skin graphs.
Step by step, we are developing ways to print the entire human body…
One of the most impressive developments in this space comes from bioprinting company Organovo (NYSE: ONVO), which has been developing human tissues using its patented 3D printing technology for several years now. The company currently earns its revenue as a provider of living research tissue.
The benefit of Organovo’s product is that it allows researchers to test human tissue without having to use a living person. This removes both safety concerns and a major source of liability during clinical trials. So far, it’s a great start, but it certainly isn’t the holy grail for the company.
The ultimate goal for Organovo is to alleviate the process of organ procurement by printing out fully functional transplants. Today, nearly 20% of people who need an organ die waiting. The allocation process is not only difficult but also incredibly expensive — there is simply too much demand and not enough supply.
Ambitiously enough, Organovo is looking to change that.
In 2014, the company plans to produce the world’s first 3D-printed liver. If successful, Organovo could eventually obtain a virtual monopoly over the procurement of livers for transplant procedures. Typical cost of procurement for a liver is $71,000.
With 6,000 patients receiving liver transplants every year and another 1,400 patients who die waiting, Organovo is looking at exclusive access to a $525 million market in the U.S. alone.
There’s no doubt that this is a speculative and long-term play, but it may be an absolute blockbuster you don’t want to miss.
Turning progress to profits,
Jason Stutman
Check us out on YouTube!
