One of the great hopes about 3D printing is that—in addition to printing Yoda heads or an afternoon snack—we will be able to recreate organs, limbs, and other vital human parts lost to illness or accident.
3D-printed prosthetics have made for many heart-warming stories about returning or creating function to patients. But the accessibility and openness of 3D printing has made it possible to bring its advances to many people at little cost.
3D bio-printing, however, is a different matter. It is an eerie but magical prospect that we could one day print out replacement hearts and other vital organs. While that reality is far off, it's no longer so far off that it seems like sci-fi. There are real scientific advances being made with devices that are printing off bones, skin, cartilage, nerve cells, and even entire organs.
These projects and their creators are sometimes decried for their Frankenstein-like nature, but the potential to give birth to life-giving body parts through technology is more dream than nightmare. Check out the slideshow for some recent advances.