New 3D Printing Method Creates Affordable Realistic Human Replicas
Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have developed a clever new way to 3D print highly realistic replicas of complex human body parts without the huge price tag normally linked to medical models.
The team created a process called CRAFT that combines multiple materials in a single print. By blending soft and hard sections in the right places, they can mimic the feel of skin, muscle and bone far more accurately than traditional plastic models.
Medical training often relies on cadavers or expensive silicone replicas. Both options have limits. Cadavers are hard to access and do not always represent specific conditions, while commercial models can cost thousands of pounds. The new approach aims to sit in the middle, giving students something realistic but affordable.
One of the most impressive demonstrations was a 3D printed hand with detailed internal structure. Surgeons were able to practise procedures on it and reported that the feel was much closer to real tissue than standard prints.
The method uses regular 3D printing equipment and materials, which means hospitals and universities could potentially produce their own training models instead of ordering them from specialist suppliers. That could open the door to custom replicas based on real patient scans.
Beyond medicine, the same technique could be useful for prosthetics, robotics, and even film props where realistic touch matters. It shows how far 3D printing has moved from simple plastic shapes to objects that behave more like the real world.
This is another example of additive manufacturing stepping into areas that used to belong only to traditional manufacturing. As the technology becomes cheaper and smarter, we will likely see more lifelike prints appearing in everyday settings.
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