3D Printing News
Note: we are now including articles on plant-based foods in the field of vegan nutrition.

A Swiss performance brand called On has opened its On Labs Tokyo by introducing a new technology labeled LightSpray. The new system uses robot-controlled nozzles to spray a lightweight material onto a mold of the human foot. Unlike standard shoe manufacturing, no seams, glues, or waste are involved. On also has a flagship store in Ginza, both of which offer workshops, athletic collaborations, and cultural activities. The new system offers designs on demand, allowing "elite" runners to provide real-time feedback. Fewer layers, fewer joins, and no bulky components are said to create better energy efficiency for runners.

Researchers in China are reporting that they have developed a 3D printable bio-active bone replacement made of glass. Tested on rabbits, the 3D printed glass provided bone cell growth that was better than standard glass. The main component of glass, silica, can exist in liquid form and be 3D printed in any desired shape. Previous 3D printed glass used toxic plasticizing agents and required extremely high temperatures for fusing. The new material involves neither of these problems. Rather, the scientists mixed oppositely charged silica particles with calcium and phosphate ions, finished at a much cooler temperature. In tests, the older method grew bone faster, but the new method sustained growth longer - after 8 weeks most bone cells had grown on the bio-glass scaffold, whereas the the plain glass had hardly any bone cell growth.

The University of Technology Sydney has developed the world's first miniature 3D printed placentas. Since getting first-trimester placental tissue is unsafe and impractical, the new process offers a way to detect problems in early pregnancy. Every year pregnancy complications cause more than 260,000 maternal deaths and millions of infant mortalities. The researchers mixed trophoblast cells with a synthetic gel, printing in precise droplets. These cells grew into placental organoids closely resembling human placental tissue. The goal is to to identify, treat, and prevent pregnancy complications before lives are threatened.

A startup called Mausware has produced a wearable computer mouse that fits on a finger. Developed by designer and inventor Max Eternity, the device is lightweight and portable, offering precise control for laptops, tablets, and PCs. It can be worn easily on the index, middle, or ring finger. It weighs only 20 grams, is rechargeable, and does not require a flat surface. The Finger Maus Ultra is made from plant-based resin said to be nontoxic and biodegradable. It enters the new field of wearable technology, which includes "Electric Skin" and wearable sensors.

The world's first 3D printed resort community has been designed in Hyderabad, India, by the Ridhira Group. Called Ridhira Zen,, the resort will include yoga studios, wellness spas, a techno gym and pools with sundecks. The use of 3D printing limits heavy machinery and labor, employs sustainable cement alternatives like fly ash and slag, thus reducing carbon emisssions by as much as 50%.

Lemki Robotics startup along with iScale3D and Zeykan Robotics, have produced a 3D printed autonomous all-terrain vehicle designed to improve agricultural research. Their method employed FGF, Fused Granulate Fabrication. For the chassis they chose 20% glass fiber-reinforced polypropylene (PP), while a robotic arm managed the extrusion. The 4 wheels were 3D printed out of nylon, with tires that are airless and thus puncture-proof. The machine comes with four 360 degree cameras and does not need GPS to navigate.

The footwear industry continues its innovations in 3D printing. A young Italian company, Servati, has introduced designer sneakers that are 3D printed and recyclable. The textile uppers are made without solvents or adhesives, and LiDAR software corrects any mistakes in real time.

A project called Water from Air turns air into drinking water. The device can make about 6 liters of clean water a day, enough for a small household. It has a metal-organic framework and porous materials that function as microscopic sponges. When the machine is left open, the sponges draw in water molecules from the air. Closing it traps the heat inside, causing the moisture to condense into a liquid which flows into a small base tank. Drinking water can be tapped directly within 2 hours without filters. The unit's handle makes it easy to carry and the transparent body shows how much water has been collected. Its modular build can be taken apart for repair or scaled up into larger sizes. Water from Air is still at the prototype stage.

Engineers have developed a method of using a modified tool gun to 3D print bone grafts directly on to fractures during surgery. The grafts, which have been tested so far on rabbits, also release antibiotics. This brings to surgery an in situ process, allowing the surgeon to make adjustments in real time.

FOODEX Japan takes place March 10 - 13, 2026, at Tokyo Big Sight, featuring 3,500 exhibitors from more than 70 countries. Highlighted will be plant-based and organic innovations using 3D printing.

SCRY Labs, based in Beijing, uses 3D technology to create futuristic fashion. Shoes, boots, jewelry, and clothing look like they have been imported from a vision of tomorrow.

Engineers at MIT CSAIL (Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory)have created a system called SustainaPrint that they say gives strong results using less plastic. Their method predicts where an object is probably going to undergo stress and reinforces these areas with stronger material. This technique eliminates the necessity of printing an entire model in high-performance plastic.

Manufacturers of lab-grown steak, also called cultured meat, or healthy meat, are asking how they can get the public to accept their products. Singapore was the first country to allow cultivated chicken for human consumption, in 2020. The U.S. came next in 2023. Proponents of the artificial meat claim it is healthier and better for animal welfare, since it can be produced from animal cells without slaughter. How to make these foods acceptable remains a major issue. 7 states including Mississippi, have banned them. One producer noted that, "What we eat is political. It's cultural".

Many companies are using high-tech and confusing language to disguise the fact that plastics are part of their product or their process, especially in the food industry. Buyer beware. Demand an easy-to-understand explanation before you eat or buy.

We review many hundreds of articles each month, culling the most significant for you. We also welcome suggestions from our viewers for products and processes that we may have missed.

c.Corinne Whitaker 2025