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The world may be on the cusp of a biotech revolution after engineers from the University of Stuttgart designed a camera that is equivalent to the size of a grain of salt with the help of a new technology known as addictive manufacturing. This has the potential to change the landscape of health imaging as well as surveillance.

3D printing comes of age

3D Printing technology, also known as addictive manufacturing has been around for some time but is now starting to offer relevant solutions for practical problems.  3D printing technology can make three dimensional objects by depositing multiple layers of a particular substance according to the required shape and size. Researchers have managed to build a three lens camera using addictive manufacturing technology and fit it at the end of an optical fiber having a width of just two human hair strands. Such devices can be used extensive for exploring parts of the human body and organs which were earlier perceived as impossible.

Injectable camera can help monitor the brain

The device features a compound lens measuring 120 micro meters along with the casing and can be injected into the body using a syringe. The camera can easily focus on images from a distance of 3 mm and transmit the details over a 1.7 meter optical fiber cable attached to it. The lens can also be fitted to image sensors like the ones used in digital cameras.

Immense scope in medical and industrial applications

The minute size makes it ideal for non-destructive and non-invasive applications in both industry and healthcare. Manufacturing constraints have restricted the production of such tiny devices but all that could now change with the help of 3D printing technology. Researchers have revealed that it took only a few hours to design, manufacture and test the device and the results exceeded expectations. The lenses had tremendous compactness and delivered high performance. The lenses can also be deployed in clandestine surveillance by using them with security monitors and robots.

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