Future Links December 2nd

Scientists look at the next steps in bioprinting organs
When scientists printed Lego-like structures of stem cells for the first time a few weeks ago, it was considered a major breakthrough, bringing the scientists one steps closer to the elusive goal of printing organs. Now, the scientists are laying out the next steps in bioprinting stem cells: Researchers would like to print different kinds of stem cell structures, so called embryoid bodies, side by side.
More at Live Science

Eyes printed on leaflet reduce littering
Despite many well-intended messages from educators and city officials around the world, littering remains a problem in many areas. Building on social science research that has shown that people are less likely to break rules when they are watched, designers have printed a pair of eyes on a leaflet that asked people to lock their bikes to prevent theft. To be able to assess the effect of the printed eyes, the researchers also printed a leaflet without the eyes. The result: Only 5 % of people dropped the leaflet with eyes printed on, compared to almost 16 % of people who dropped the control leaflets. The study will be extended to fast food wrappers in a next step.
More at Mail Online

Tips to better manage printing costs
An article on CIO reveals alarming numbers: A Fortune 1000 organization can spend upwards of 100 million USD a year on printing, depending on the industry. Yet due to lack of central oversight and ownership of the print management function, much of that money is wasted. According to the article, some companies even have trouble estimating the total print costs. The article points to three ways CIOs can manage their print costs better and realize some of the potential savings.
More at CIO

ROKIT develops food safe 3D printing material
There has been a lot of discussion about the safety of 3D printing filaments. A study has brought up the possibility of toxins released through 3D printed filaments. To fulfill the need for safer alternatives, ROKIT has just developed two new non-toxic 3D printing materials, Skinflex and Kitchen&Deco, that meet the US FDA food contact requirements, making them food and skin safe.
More at 3ders

Zortak’s co-founder sees the future of 3D printing in the medical field
Zortak was the first company with a super successful Kickstarter campaign more than 5 years ago. With the funds, Zortrax was able to build the next run of printers and expand its staff and sales network. US computer manufacturer Dell then gave it an order for 5,000 models and now it sells printers in 50 countries and expects to make 3 million USD in profits this year. Zortak’s co-founder Rafal Tomasiak sees the near future of 3D printing in the medical industry where the technology could help patients recover and potentially save lives.
More at BBC

2030 sustainability goals’ relevance for the packaging industry
In September, the United Nations adopted a final roadmap for the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Broadly speaking, SDGs are targets for governments, communities and institutions to further international development. For the packaging industry, they represent a renewed opportunity to be part of the global solution.
More at Packaging Digest

New on the drupa blog: drupa insights report
In spring 2015 we asked the printing company members of our drupa expert panel to participate in a survey on the implementation of fresh print applications. Our objective in this report is to identify how digital technology is both changing the demand for print but also allowing fresh print applications to create growth opportunities. Here’s a summary of the results.
More in the article