Print human skin

January 30, 2006 12:59 PM

Need a patch of skin for that burn or perhaps some new brain cells? Print them. A team of British scientists have shown that cells could survive ink-jet printing. Ink-jet technology moves beyond paper.
posted by Termite (21 comments total)

Slap me some skin takes on an entirely new meaning.
posted by Astro Zombie at 1:05 PM on January 30, 2006

Gimme five minutes with one of those printers and a broadband connection an' I'll never need pornography again!
posted by JHarris at 1:07 PM on January 30, 2006

This is when computer viruses really get scary.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 1:13 PM on January 30, 2006

Pornographic papercraft?
posted by brundlefly at 1:16 PM on January 30, 2006

Orgasmic origami?
posted by Pollomacho at 1:17 PM on January 30, 2006

British scientists have shown that cells could survive ink-jet printing.

great. fax me some boobs.
posted by jonmc at 1:19 PM on January 30, 2006

Why does my paper airplane scream when I throw it?
posted by Astro Zombie at 1:21 PM on January 30, 2006

1) Photocopy ass
2) Print out actual living copy of ass, fold it into asshat
3) ...
4) Profit
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 1:26 PM on January 30, 2006

hmm...another thread of skin/porn joke/pun? Awesome, count me in!
posted by piratebowling at 1:36 PM on January 30, 2006

Get your next tattoo at Kinko's!
posted by hangashore at 1:41 PM on January 30, 2006

Yeah kinda hard to produce cells with compatible DNA to yours tough. Unless it comes with a huge pile of drugs to surpress your immune system so you don't reject them?

Can't you use potato skins to treat burn victims or something weird and low-tech like that anyway?

This really seems like the least practical way to do stuff with cells.

Plus now you can print your own flesh masks of your favourite celebrities! Like Faceoff, but in your home office.
posted by public at 1:52 PM on January 30, 2006

Isn't there a theory of evolution that relates to this and is possibly an answer to Intelligent Design?

How did these impossibly complex organic mechanisms come together? Biological subroutines developed on 2D surfaces near chemical plumes in the ocean, broke off and assembled into integrated functions.

(Lay persons imperfect interpretation...)
posted by StickyCarpet at 1:53 PM on January 30, 2006

Pornographic papercraft?
posted by brundlefly

Orgasmic origami?
posted by Pollomacho


Desktopless publishing?
posted by darkstar at 1:59 PM on January 30, 2006

It has to alliterative, darkstar! That said, I like it.
posted by brundlefly at 2:04 PM on January 30, 2006

Now, talking about cool printing tecnology today- anyone seen these shit your pants cool 3d printers?

Yup, they take your cad/3ds/whatever 3d models, and construct them out of layers of abs plastic.

I want one. Problem is, they're still a bit pricey... (~20 large for an entry level model)

still cool though

http://www.dimensionprinting.com/index.shtml
posted by stenseng at 2:05 PM on January 30, 2006

darkstar, Desktopless Distributing

=)
posted by Phantomx at 3:55 PM on January 30, 2006

"shit your pants cool 3d printers?"

*shits pants*

I must admit, those links too are crap my slacks cool. Good news for burn victims.
posted by Smedleyman at 5:40 PM on January 30, 2006

From the third article:

The advantage over conventional pregnancy test kits is that an electrical circuit could be ink-jet printed onto the sensor, which could be used to give the user a clear yes or no on a bulb or small display. If this technology takes off, such sensors could become so cheap that patients could print their own strips at home using dedicated ink-jet machines. [emphasis added]

Hmm...if you have a ink-jet machine dedicated for home pregnancy tests, you may need to take sex ed.
posted by Deathalicious at 6:33 PM on January 30, 2006

Novelty face cards that blush when you have a good hand?
posted by StickyCarpet at 7:08 PM on January 30, 2006

No Necronomicon jokes/references yet?
posted by Eideteker at 7:37 PM on January 30, 2006

Very cool!
posted by OmieWise at 8:33 AM on January 31, 2006