Australian engineers invent a robot that bends and twists inside the body for 3D printing

A team of biomedical engineers from the University of New South Wales in Australia has developed a flexible robotic device called F3DB that can 3D print biomaterials directly inside the human body. The technology aims to streamline future medical procedures by eliminating complications and risks associated with invasive surgery for inserting biomaterials.

3D bioprinting is a process that involves printing natural tissue-like structures using living cells and other natural tissues known as “bio-ink” to repair tissue damage, ruptured blood vessels or other organ damage. Living cells in the printing process allow man-made structures to fuse naturally with the human body and continue to grow.

Currently, biomaterials must be created outside of the body before being inserted through typically invasive surgery, which can lead to high blood loss, infections, and other complications.

The F3DB device features a three-axis printing head that can bend and twist using hydraulics on the tip of a soft robotic arm. The printing nozzle can print pre-programmed shapes or can be operated manually if more complex or undetermined printing is required. The smallest prototype has a diameter of approximately 11-13 millimetres, which is similar to a commercial endoscope. However, it could be scaled down even further in the future.

The team leader Thanh Nho Do believes that the device will eliminate complications and risks by printing directly inside the body. Currently, no commercially available technology can perform direct 3D printing inside the human body. Do, who is the director of the University of New South Wales Medical Robotics Lab, believes that the F3DB device’s high flexibility and adaptability could fit into any area inside the human body, making it an ideal tool for working with the human body.

The device is currently undergoing further clinical trials, and Do expects it to be ready for commercialization within the next five to seven years.