Last month, a penguin in a Warsaw zoo lost its beak in a flight, preventing it from properly eating and drinking. Facing death, Polish scientists were able to save the cute, flightless creature by creating a prosethetic beak, modeled after a scan of the lost bill. Using the Omni3D, the beak was scanned from twelve angles, several versions were printed using eco-plastic (with nylon and silicone back-ups, just in case the eco-plastic doesn't hold up over time). Now, the penguin has a fighting chance to eat krill like any other penguin in the preserve.According to 3Ders, this isn' the first time a 3D printer has been used to save a beast of the sky. In 2012, a bald eagle was saved using the tech to construct a new beak made of nylon polymers. The eagle was able to drink water the next day.So while we love covering 3D-printed cartoon characters and clothing, it's always refreshing to see new examples of the innovative technology being used to change life around us—especially when it involves saving adorable animal friends like this guy:
via The Telegraph@zachsokol
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