Page 103 - IJB-10-6

International

Journal of Bioprinting

REVIEW ARTICLE
3D-printed electronics for biomedical

applications

Minsu Ryoo 1 id , Daeho Kim , Junseop Noh , and Song Ih Ahn *
1
1
2 id
1 School of Mechanical Engineering, Pusan National University, Pusan, Republic of Korea
2 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
(KAIST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea

Abstract
Biomedical electronics have garnered significant interest due to the rising demand
for advanced healthcare devices for diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment. Three-
dimensional (3D) printing, or additive manufacturing, has emerged as an attractive
fabrication method for developing these advanced biomedical devices. Its unique
features, such as versatility, cost-effectiveness, and rapid prototyping capabilities,
when combined with medical imaging technologies enable the creation of highly
precise and customized patient-specific structures. Extensive research in the field
of 3D printing has focused on developing biomedical devices, including wearable
and implantable devices, as well as scaffolds or platforms. Recently, the integration
of 3D printing with state-of-the-art electronic materials, known for their high
flexibility, conductivity, stretchability, stability, and biocompatibility, has led to
the development of innovative biomedical electronics. In this review, we outline
the recent advancements in 3D printing technologies and their applications in
bioelectronic devices. Firstly, we describe various 3D printing methods and printable
*Corresponding author: electronic materials, highlighting their advantages and limitations. Subsequently,
Song Ih Ahn (siahn@kaist.ac.kr) we explore the applications of these technologies in biomedical research, spanning
from surgical guidance and prosthetics to health monitoring devices and tissue-
Citation: Ryoo M, Kim D, Noh J,

Ahn SI. 3D-printed electronics for engineered scaffolds. Finally, this review discusses the current challenges and future

biomedical applications. directions to fully exploit the potential of 3D-printed bioelectronic devices, aimed at
Int J Bioprint. 22024;10(6):4139. transforming personalized healthcare.
doi: 10.36922/ijb.4139
Received: July 3, 2024
Revised: August 2, 2024 Keywords: Bioelectronics; Biomedical electronics; 3D printing; Biomedical devices;
Accepted: August 2, 2024 Personalized healthcare
Published Online: August 7, 2024
Copyright: © 2024 Author(s).
This is an Open Access article
distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Attribution 1. Introduction
License, permitting distribution,
and reproduction in any medium, Three-dimensional (3D) printing has emerged as an innovative technology in
provided the original work is biomedical engineering, profoundly impacting personalized medicine and medical
properly cited. device fabrication. The ability of 3D printing to fabricate complex patient-specific
Publisher’s Note: AccScience structures with high precision and customization has attracted significant attention from
Publishing remains neutral with researchers. Moreover, the inherent versatility of material options, design flexibility, cost-
regard to jurisdictional claims in
published maps and institutional effectiveness, and rapid fabrication have led to widespread applications in biomedical
affiliations. devices. By layering materials in a controlled manner, 3D printing enables the creation of

Volume 10 Issue 6 (2024) 95 doi: 10.36922/ijb.4139