This new patent for a nose simulator was created by the United States Air Force research lab in Dayton, Ohio. The purpose of this nose simulator would be for the use of testing air quality. Using 3D laser scanning and printing, they would be able to make this nose and study hazardous air that we could never breathe in. For example, this could help us study volatile organic compounds, airborne nanoparticles, and hypoxia. All of these we would never be able to breathe in without dying ourselves.
3D laser scanning has been one of the best inventions we have seen over the years though it didn’t always start out strong. It started out in the 1960s and on its own was not entirely impressive because of all of the kinks. Later on, it developed and changed into something absolutely outstanding and one of the hottest table topics we now have. In the 1980s, 3D printing was created, and the pair together created endless possibilities.
This nose simulator would be unlike any other models you have ever seen, and researchers would be able to fully research things that have been untouched for years.
“Unlike typical nasal cast models, this innovative biohybrid upper respiratory model allows for more accurate representation of physiological breathing functions coupled with spatiotemporally relevant tissue analysis. Here we have married electronic and biological elements in a proposal to develop a robotic biohybrid.” Says one of the researchers from the United States Air Force.
Is it easy to replicate human nasal cavity
This is not a simple task, and though it uses some of the most advanced technology, it is still a tedious mission. The inside of our noses is complex and almost like a maze; capturing all of that information is, unfortunately, a necessity if the researchers truly want to understand hazardous air quality. 3D laser scanning allows researchers to analyze volunteers’ noses to get a precise layout of the nasal cavity.
Why should we be studying air quality at all
We continue to live our lives and continuously forget about the air we breathe. We take it for granted each and every day. We are polluting more and more. When we breathe in bad air, it affects us more than we know. We hurt our lungs; it can enter our bloodstream and damage our internal organs.
The more we understand how our air is, the more likely we can stop certain things. This can affect all of us more than we could ever imagine. 3D laser scanning and 3D printing have been seen in some of the most cutting edge projects that will help protect and enhance our world, and this is just the next step.
Final thoughts
3D laser scanning shapes the way we view the world, and hopefully, it will change how we breathe and what we breathe in. The more researchers study air quality, the better off we will be in the future. Until we can see more research, it is our responsibility to help keep the air as clean as possible.