Kevin Lepton

3D Printing the Bones of a Human Body

 3D Printing  Comments Off on 3D Printing the Bones of a Human Body
Mar 082013
 

Okay, so 3D printing is not brand new, but some aspects of it are making news. For instance, a company called Oxford Performance Materials just got FDA approval to 3D print a human skull for use in case of trauma or disease.

But, of course why stop there? The future implications for printing parts of the human body are vast.

According to Tech News Daily, “DeFelice envisions going beyond the OsteoFab™ Patient Specific Cranial Device to make 3D-printed bone replacements for all parts of the human body. His company has already begun preparing to submit other 3D-printed bone parts for FDA approval – a huge market worth as much as $50 million to $100 million for each bone replacement type.”

You know 3D printing could also apply to prosthetics as well. Imagine a few years from now Oscar Pistorius or some other ski leg athlete printing their own artificial limbs at home. Or if you happen to be a veteran and lost your hand in the war and then lost your hand in the washer, you could print up a new one post-haste.

The possibilities are mind-boggling. The first step has been taken with the 3d printed skull. And the company that did this has a leg up on the competition. 🙂

References

http://www.explainingthefuture.com/3dprinting.html

http://www.technewsdaily.com/17191-3d-printed-skull-implant.html

 

 

Your Smartphone Will Soon Tell You to Turn Your Head and Cough

 Smart Phones  Comments Off on Your Smartphone Will Soon Tell You to Turn Your Head and Cough
Feb 262013
 

It may sound like science fiction rather than cutting edge science, but Smartphones are now poised to revolutionize the healthcare industry. This is especially true for lifestyle types of diseases such as diabetes or obesity.

Soon, Smart apps will be able to monitor blood sugar before and after a meal, amount of exercise, stress, caloric intake and other measurements of how a body is doing. This information can empower individuals who want to take charge of their own health plus if desired this information can also be passed on to doctors who will also weigh in on preventative care.

According to CNN, “Currently, health care systems focus primarily on chronic ill health, rather than the preventative measures of living a healthy lifestyle, but this may be the adjustment that both the health care system and insurance companies make as a result of digital health devices.

“The ultimate health care applications will allow us to monitor our body and use the insight from that data to create an actionable, preventative health solution, such as an individual exercise or nutritional plan, in addition to devising a personal cocktail of medicine.”

Retinal displays will do retinal scans, heart rate, blood pressure and other body health indicators can be continuously monitored if desired. As the U. S. struggles to cut down on healthcare costs, leading edge Smartphone technology will save the day. And that day is very soon at hand.

 

BBC Infographic of the Future Rocks Its Predictions

 Future Predictions  Comments Off on BBC Infographic of the Future Rocks Its Predictions
Jan 312013
 

BBC Future has come up with an interesting infographic of what the future many look like between this year and 100 years from now. They’ve also created separate categories from most likely to least likely and placed odds on each.

For instance in 2013, they give 7/4 odds that it is most likely that the Great Firewall of China will fall and people in that country will have access to worldwide information. In 2013, they also give 1/20 odds that patients will be prescribed medical apps by their own doctors.

Now, there are a few scary predictions for the future as well. For instance, the BBC says that by 2018 the arctic will be free of ice in the summertime. And between 2030 and 2040 there are 3/1 odds that the land around Chernobyl will be turned into a national park.

On the less likely side by 2045, singularity has occurred and supercomputers are now smarter than the most intelligent humans. It’s an interesting infograph worth checking out. And as always don’t try this at home and please no wagering. 🙂

 

References

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20130102-tomorrows-world

 

 

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