Future directions in biomechanics: 3D printing

This chapter provides a brief introduction to the utilization of three-dimensional (3D) printing as an effective biotechnology for biomechanists and gait analysts to supplement their research in the laboratory. This is a special area from which we expect tremendous growth in the future. This chapter presents applications of 3D printing for (1) lower and upper extremity applications, (2) anatomical modeling for surgical planning, (3) fracture castings, and (4) the development of upper extremity exoskeletons for stroke patients. Practical information about the creating a 3D printing research laboratory on a budget is also provided. We also review the current Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommendations of 3D printed medical devices, such as those covered by the recently published FDA guidance document. Finally, we discuss the main limitations of these techniques and we describe future perspectives of this technology.