Engineering students design artificial kidney using 3-D printing technology

University of Connecticut School of Engineering seniors have designed an artificial kidney using 3-D printing technology, which is an additive manufacturing method that can create complex parts, the University reported in a blog post. Additive manufacturing is the process of joining materials layer upon layer to produce an object from 3-D model data.

Two three-person teams of chemical engineering students created an artificial kidney for their Senior Design Project.

Guleid Awale, one of the seniors, said the two design teams each took a different approach to the project. “While the other team utilized techniques such as electrodialysis and forward osmosis in their prototype, our group opted for mainly hollow fiber membrane technology commonly found in traditional hemodialysis treatments.”