15 Weirdest 3D Printed Things

Mighty Buildings offers affordable 3D-printed homes starting at $204,000. The installation is on-site, and construction includes a move-in-ready home that comes with finishes and appliances, along with the necessary foundations such as trenching and utility connections. Check it out here.

Imagine tiny robots building—or rather, printing—large structures in the next-door lot. The researchers at the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia are moving toward this future with their Minibuilders, a team of robots that can soon print immense structures. According to the video below, "the robots are independent of the size and shape of the object they create." The Minibuilders are assigned specific tasks to complete the giant structure.

Organovo employs the 3D printing of body parts to complete its research. According to their about page, they are "pioneering a unique set of therapeutic and drug profiling capabilities based on the ability to 3D bioprint tissues that mimic key aspects of human biology and diseases." In layman's terms, the 3D printed tissue allows them to study the safety and efficacy of the medicine. The 3D tissue is more accurate and has a higher clinical relevance than a 2D one. Check out the video below for more information.

3D printing in the healthcare industry is still in its early stages, but we may soon have printers that produce medical devices and equipment. e-NABLE created a 3D-printed prosthetic limb and customized it according to the patient's anatomy. Compared to expensive casting, 3D printing offers more personalization and more durable materials. The production method also significantly reduces the cost of prosthetics, which currently ranges from $5,000 to $50,000.

Apis Cor built its first 3D-printed house in 24 hours. The cost was affordable at $10,000 for a 38 m2 space. They combined the 3D printer with a mix supply unit to complete the house to use durable materials that completed the structure. Apis Cor built the house in the coldest weather under a tent, but the same implementation is possible in the summer. Experts predict that it can last for 175 years and help rebuild areas recovering from natural disasters.

Continuum Fashion has 3D-printed several wearable items that include the N12 bikini. The company used Nylon 12, a strong, waterproof, and flexible material. The bikini is made up of interconnected beads that give it a unique design. Apart from the material's flexibility, Nylon 12 can also bend without breaking while printed. The durability and the convenience of not having to sew the bikini signifies an exciting future for the fashion industry.

If you have the right 3D printer, you can print another one and assemble each part to complete the job. Note that while you can print some pieces with a 3D printer, you'll have to buy the electric components from other sources. You'll also need to use a plastic 3D printer, as different types like liquid resin, metal, or ceramic can't produce specific parts of a 3D printer.

Freddy the tortoise, a female tortoise who got severely burned and lost 85% of her shell during a forest fire in Brazil, was given a new life after a team of veterinarians, 3D printers, and local artists made her a 3D printed shell. The designers created her shell by taking 49 photographs of Fred in different angles and designing a custom prosthetic shell printed layer by layer in four jigsaw-like pieces. The shell was made from corn-based plastic.

Fraunhofer Institute and British Company Ocupeye Ltd have produced a revolutionary technology and technique to make prosthetic eyes using 3D printing. The technology, called Cuttlefish:Eye software, creates a 3D scan of the eye socket and a color-calibrated photo of the eye to create the prosthetics.

A research team led by Andy Wang, a Ph.D. student from the University of Cambridge used 3D printing to produce a fully woven smart textile display referred to as Smart Fiber. Each fiber is 100 times lighter than human hair and can be used as electric fibers for creating sensors beyond conventional devices. The researchers say that this approach could lead to “sci-fi sounding applications like curtains that are TVs, energy-harvesting carpets, interactive clothing and fabrics.” Imagine having furniture that doubles as your appliance—what an amazing convenience in your own home.

In addition, these fibers can be used to produce non-contact portable respiratory sensors that can be applied to collecting breath pattern information and investigating several healthcare interfaces for a low cost.

Solid-fuel rockets contain cylinders of fuel that could cost millions of dollars and take weeks to cure. Still, a team of scientists from James Cook University is determined to master a new technique to produce rocket fuel faster and more conveniently.

Scientists produced plastic fuel grains via a 3D printer that can be used in a tailor-made hybrid rocket engine to test the fuel. The JSU scientists made the fuel grains using plastics and other materials.

Melker, a Sweden-based Kayak producer and manufacturer, has mastered making kayaks using a 3D Printer. Melker's 3D printed Kayak can mimic and even exceed the intensity of a standard Kayak material. Even better is that this Kayak is produced using recycled material, making it sustainable and environmentally friendly.

A company based in France called 3Dvarius violin creates a new generation of fiddles through a fully customizable 3D printed violin. The instrument's entire body – from the body to the neck – is entirely made through 3D printing. You can customize your 3D printed violin starting at $7,000 with 3Dvarius.

Lab Dis, a Milan-based art director, designed a 3D printed wicked yet elegant floating planter. The planter was built using Tensegrity, a design principle that uses tensional integrity to make a component float under the compression of a network of cords.

This 3D-printed anti-gravity planter is easy to make using only two bases and two threads. It can also support small flowers, plants, and herbs.

Using several measuring spoons and cups can be bothersome in the kitchen. Worry not, as the BakerCube is here to help. Designed by Iomma, this 3D printed kitchen gadget will indeed measure ingredients, from a teaspoon to full cups, in one convenient device.