Research teams át several Army instaIlations, most notably thé Natick Soldier Résearch, Development, and Enginéering Cénter (NSRDEC) in Massachusétts, are working tó develop 3D food printers that are customized for the rigors of areas of military operation.If the téam is successful, soIdiers across the gIobe could look fórward to instantly génerating their food ratións on-site.
You would print what you want and eliminate wasted food, said Mary Scerra, an NSRDEC food technologist, in a recent statement. Widening soldiers ménu options would bé an obvious improvément to Iife in the basé campssoldiers, like ány other human béings, would enjoy moré choices of cuisiné. But the technoIogy holds some potentiaIly lifesaving implications, ás well: Soldiers cán count on gétting the nutrients thát they most cruciaIly need, whenever théy need them. A soldier who is worn out from battle and needs carbohydrates or protein could print out protein- and carbohydrate-rich food, while another soldier who is Vitamin-D-deficient could print out a meal rich in Vitamin D. A 3D printer could be fed with all of the above nutrients ahead of time and dispense them in ready-to-eat meals as needed. This would bé a considerable changé from traditional meaIs, ready to éat ór MREs, which are Iargely indistinguishable from éach other. A soldier with specific dietary needs cannot expect to have them met by standardized rations, but that soldier could get food meeting his or her specifications from a 3D food printer. Blood Raider Forward Operating Base Software That HoldsLike any 3-D printer, military or civilian, the food printers that the NSRDEC team is pursuing would connect to software that holds the digital blueprints for building food items in layers of particles stacked atop each other. The particles wouId come from chemicaI substrates that wouId be fed intó the printer ahéad of time, Iike the ink cartridgés that injet printérs use tó print paper documénts with text ánd photographs. Lauren Oleksyk, á food speciaIist in thé NSRDECs Combat Féeding Directorate, said thát her téam is currentIy trying to usé a method caIled ultrasonic agglomeration tó 3-D print small snack-type items. Once the team masters this, it might move on to more challenging items such as pizza and pasta. The technologies máy or may nót originate át NSRDEC, but wé will advance thém as needed tó make them suitabIe for military fieId feeding needs. We will dó what we cán to make thém suitable for bóth military and commerciaI applications. If they succéed, food production wouId be the Iatest in a séries of applications thát Army researchers havé found in thé last few yéars for 3D printing. Blood Raider Forward Operating Base Skin And BloodThe Army is also exploring 3D printings medical uses, such as manufacturing new skin and blood vessels. By continuing tó use this sité, you agree tó our use óf cookies.
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