Using Bacteria as a Future 3D-Printer

What if 3D objects could not only be printed by normal techniques, but naturally grown, using photo sensitive bacteria? Fast Company reports that IDEO and University of California, San Francisco, have been working on exploring ”the possibilities of exploiting known properties of microorganisms to literally "grow" the products we use every day”. The idea is to use E.coli bacteria that reacts to light, so they can be controlled to grow in a specific pattern, thereby growing consumer products.

The project is on a conceptual basis, but the benefits of growing consumer products instead of manufacturing them are both ecological and economical. Head over to Fast Company for the full story.