3D Printing joins the fight to save our coral reefs

<div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9e9Ntjzs5JEguIETQgDLLkcin0yewWLWDW1Z5O3HoV-W6ypPWJkbFcL4Nbkq_evHffGto7vryexiO7fKrie593Ln8TZW-HCQoHxfnWIMfIBZZXMZngz1eDz5kqIi2i5eFKMU2bsoaDoEJ/s1600/coral_after.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9e9Ntjzs5JEguIETQgDLLkcin0yewWLWDW1Z5O3HoV-W6ypPWJkbFcL4Nbkq_evHffGto7vryexiO7fKrie593Ln8TZW-HCQoHxfnWIMfIBZZXMZngz1eDz5kqIi2i5eFKMU2bsoaDoEJ/s1600/coral_after.png" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="article-image-credit" style="color: #4c4d4f; float: right; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10px; padding: 10px 0px; position: relative; text-align: start; text-transform: uppercase;"> <a href="http://www.reefdesignlab.com/?dom=pscau&src=syn" style="color: black;" target="_blank">REEF DESIGN LAB</a></div> <div> 3D Printed Reef 8 Months Later</div> </td></tr> </tbody></table> <br /> The dangers of coral reef bleaching are upon us. The rising water temperatures due to global warming are cooking coral reefs and in turn, are eroding their colour and very life. Ecologists are racing to save coral reefs before they are lost forever, and one viable solution is 3D printing.<br /> <br /> Coral reefs are home to algae, zooplankton as well as a variety of sea creatures. Coral reefs help support a quarter of all ocean life as well as helping guard against coastal erosion.  The algae living inside coral supplies nutrients that helps create its vivid colour. Unfortunately radical cuts to carbon pollution will do little to slow their demise as a warming of only 1.5% will put 90% of coral reefs at risk.<br /> <br /> When stressed coral ejects its algae and turns white (coral bleaching.) If this continues for an extended period of time, the coral then dies. Our unusually warm waters have caused mass bleaching worldwide. Adding to this dilemma is carbon pollution which have turned oceans more acidic, making it harder for coral polyps to absorb calcium and become the coral we all know and love.<br /> <br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTo2cb28c5orrveaTtI7bzNCoMbiGn_wDLZFwhSKJ1K0XNVgNtPBFABzRDpdfBNiWi_I2N7hYtK40ndCPO3P6hqLNQxDwS3B2-stErNGOnv2SvzVfmev80IgjreFg3Krm8IGk2AGCkXf_G/s1600/coral_before.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTo2cb28c5orrveaTtI7bzNCoMbiGn_wDLZFwhSKJ1K0XNVgNtPBFABzRDpdfBNiWi_I2N7hYtK40ndCPO3P6hqLNQxDwS3B2-stErNGOnv2SvzVfmev80IgjreFg3Krm8IGk2AGCkXf_G/s1600/coral_before.png" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="article-image-credit" style="color: #4c4d4f; float: right; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 10px; padding: 10px 0px; position: relative; text-align: start; text-transform: uppercase;"> <a href="http://www.reefdesignlab.com/?dom=pscau&src=syn" style="color: black;" target="_blank">REEF DESIGN LAB</a></div> <div> 3D Printed Reef</div> </td></tr> </tbody></table> <br /> <br /> Baby coral are drawn to healthy white or pink coloured reefs with crevices and holes where they will be safe from being destroyed or eaten by predators. 3D printers are looking to recreate these environmental properties with 3D printed sandstone. Others have 3D printed artificial coral made of calcium carbonate. This coral would slowly dissolve in the reef and in turn make the surrounding waters less acidic.</div>

3D printed prosthetic that could bring back the sense of touch

<div><h1 class="entry-title" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e73be; font-size: 30px; letter-spacing: -1px; line-height: 1.2em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigXrP9b0aKNdIUuvkqNNbKABOBxE6vvnQaogDGzuMiMZ0-g2jjf9SCgQYhRulwOjg2Ik2wqJlXCOtQfbbNF0ALFwZA0E6a1tEMhvEnd8WmfCvXd8aSVgtqd3iCwaf7coqNLDIaveXn8tuT/s1600/robotic-arm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigXrP9b0aKNdIUuvkqNNbKABOBxE6vvnQaogDGzuMiMZ0-g2jjf9SCgQYhRulwOjg2Ik2wqJlXCOtQfbbNF0ALFwZA0E6a1tEMhvEnd8WmfCvXd8aSVgtqd3iCwaf7coqNLDIaveXn8tuT/s1600/robotic-arm.jpg" /></span></a></div> <div style="color: #666666; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div> <div style="color: #666666; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> <span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the past prosthetic limbs were clunky and limited in function. Thanks to 3D printing, prosthetics can easily be made to custom fit its user as well as be designed for greater mobility and more complex functions such as playing sports. Now a group of researchers from various Australian institutions are taking it a step further to help restore ones sense of touch.</span></div> <div style="color: #666666; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 19px;"> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div> <div style="color: #666666; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> <div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/gOMEGlEkNHM/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gOMEGlEkNHM?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></span></div> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A collaboration between the <a href="http://www.unimelb.edu.au/"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(45, 163, 242); color: #2da3f2;">University of Melbourne</span></a>, the <a href="https://www.uow.edu.au/index.html"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(45, 163, 242); color: #2da3f2;">University of Wollongong</span></a>, and several other institutions coordinated by <a href="http://acmd.org.au/"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(45, 163, 242); color: #2da3f2;">St. Vincent’s Hospital’s Aikenhead Centre for Medical Discovery</span></a> are studying the way the human arm communicates signals to the brain. They intend to reproduce that signalling process artificially.</span></div> <div style="color: #666666; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 19px;"> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div> <div style="color: #666666; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">They are currently working on prototype robotic arm that uses 3D printed microchips to create communication between implanted electrodes and natural tissue and muscle. </span></div> <div style="color: #666666; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 19px;"> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div> <div style="color: #666666; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While much of the research remains confidential, the idea is that the microchips will act as conduits enabling communication between the human brain and robotic arm.</span></div> </h1> </div>