Scientists at Princeton University (USA) have used a three-dimensional printer loaded with cells and silver nanoparticles to create a bionic ear in which cartilage is combined with an antenna that captures the same sound frequencies as a meat ear and bone. The team, led by engineer Michael McAlpine, has been the first to create a fully functional organ that reproduces and even extends the capabilities of its human counterpart, as explained in NanoLetters magazine. "We have the potential to create custom 'parts' to repair the human body or even organs with capabilities that exceed those of human biology," the scientists conclude.
3D printing technology, which has demonstrated its enormous potential by replicating the shape of the ear, considered the most complicated three-dimensional organ, is capable of combining and integrating living tissues with electronic components, which in the future will allow the incorporation of all kinds of sensors to the human body , for example to monitor vital signs, to detect diseases in their early stages, or to expand the perception of the senses.
