STEAM：3D Printing
【明報專訊】At the recent Hong Kong Science Fair, a team of secondary school students made use of 3D printing technology to allow visually impaired individuals to touch photos and help them recall pleasant memories.
Pat: What wonderful technology!
MO MO: 3D printing is not futuristic technology; this printing technique has been applied to many aspects of our daily life, such as construction. In April, for example, a university in Hubei used a 3D printing machine to build an 8-meter-tall laboratory building in 22 days!
Dr Panda: You are right, MoMo. 3D printing has also been used in the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program. Recently, state engineers have been developing a 3D printing machine capable of printing on the Moon and using it to construct a research station on the Moon.
MO MO: That's brilliant. I have also heard about how 3D printing can transform human health as it can print different kinds of organs to help patients with organ failure.
Dr Panda: Yes, that's called bioprinting. Scientists are working on bioprinting complex organs like kidneys, hearts, and livers. But it is still a distant goal for human transplantation, since further research and drug testing need to be carried out for safety purposes. ●
What is 3D Printing?
3D printing creates three-dimensional objects in layers using special materials. First, a computer makes a digital design of the object. Then, the 3D printer builds the object layer by layer, sticking each layer to the one below until it is completed. 3D printers can use various materials such as plastics, metals, ceramics, and even living cells for bioprinting.
■Glossary
recall (v) 回憶起
futuristic (adj) 超前新奇的
distant (adj) 遙遠的
ceramic(n) 陶瓷
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[Smarties' Power English 第445期]
