3-D printed “Cortex” as developed by Jake Evill. Image as shown in the article quoted

Recently there had been some bad vibes around 3-D printers due to all the reports that you can now download files to print your own (working) guns.

But this new development is rather fascinating: As the Daily Mail in its online portal summarized in a recent article,

• Jake Evill, a media design graduate from New Zealand, has worked with the orthopaedic department of his university to create a next generation cast
• Named the Cortex, it uses 3D scans and X-rays to provide tailor-made support for an injury and once printed it easily clips on to the affected area
• Unlike traditional casts it is lightweight, ventilated, washable and thin enough to fit under a sleeve

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2354852/Is-plaster-cast-future-Designer-uses-3D-printing-create-tailormade-exoskeleton-help-heal-broken-bones.html#ixzz2h7x6Qa9f

Will we soon have 3-D printers in every (second) home? Will we start to rebuild spare parts not deliverable any longer? What other interesting uses did you encounter?

Update February 2014: Now a novel 3-D printer can print carbon fiber and make very strong structures. See the article on SmartPlanet.

Related articles

• 3D Printing Creates Unique Exoskeleton For Broken Bones (Forbes)
• Casts Made By 3-D Printing Make Broken Bones Stylish (Medical Daily)
• Kiwi’s cast wins major design prize (nzherald.co.nz)
• 3D-printed ‘Cortex’ cast concept puts a modern spin on bone fracture treatment (The Verge)
• Breaking Away from the Pack (hreitmeier4.wordpress.com)
• Comfort Cast Helps You Update Doctors, Facebook While Your Bones Heal (ubergizmo.com)
• 3D Printing in the Medicine: Saving Time and Saving Lives (abaad.ae)
• Cortex Cast (soccer1523.wordpress.com)
• The first carbon fiber 3d printer now for sale (SmartPlanet)