The proboscis is 100% finer than the best manmade tips, cheaper, and biodegradable.
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(Image credit: Getty Images) According to a recent discovery, a deceased female mosquito’s blood sucking proboscis makes for a great high-resolution 3D printer nozzle. A team of researchers at McGill University in Montréal was looking for ideas to create an ultra-fine, low-cost, and sustainable 3D printing nozzle, and this mosquito body part seems to be almost perfect for the job. TechXplore reports that these nozzles can be used for 3D printing extremely fine objects, with smooth surfaces – ideal for aerospace, dentistry, and biomedical research.
Watch On High-precision 3D printing nozzles, like the ones this mosquito proboscis has the potential to replace, usually come at a prohibitively high cost. The source suggests they are typically priced at around $80 per tip. Moreover, current commercial tips that fit this spec are made of either non-biodegradable plastic or metal.
We've seen plenty of interesting bio-inspired technologies ahead of this innovation from McGill. But this new 'necroprinting' method is less bio-inspired and more like bio-looting, as it essentially reuses dead insect body parts.
Firm pioneers 3D printing copper coolers directly onto processors using OLED manufacturing techniques with 'pixel perfect accuracy'
'Next-gen 3D printing' enables printing with two different materials at once
Key considerations
- Investor positioning can change fast
- Volatility remains possible near catalysts
- Macro rates and liquidity can dominate flows
Reference reading
- https://www.tomshardware.com/3d-printing/SPONSORED_LINK_URL
- https://www.tomshardware.com/3d-printing/dead-mosquito-proboscis-used-for-high-resolution-3d-printing-nozzle-scientists-boast-of-the-extremely-fine-output-from-necroprinting#main
- https://www.tomshardware.com
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Informational only. No financial advice. Do your own research.