Engineers 3D-Print Sensors Onto Moving Organs

A new technique allows 3D printing of hydrogel-based sensors directly on the surface of organs, such as lungs — even as they expand and contract. The technology was developed to support robot-assisted medical treatments. According to the researchers, along with a robot's ability to assist a surgeon with removing a tumor from a lung, for example, this technology could 3D print a sensor onto the surface of the lung to monitor how well it functions during and following the procedure.