Innovative technology utilizes light to engrave erasable 3D images
Medical professionals and researchers may soon have the ability to generate hand-held replicas of patients' organs using a cutting-edge technology outlined in a report published in the journal Chem. Specialized light projectors are employed to imprint both two-dimensional and 3D images inside any polymer containing a newly-developed photosensitive chemical additive. These images remain ingrained until heat is applied, effectively erasing them and restoring the polymer for subsequent use.
The researchers, hailing from Dartmouth and Southern Methodist University (SMU), have successfully showcased the potential of this groundbreaking method. Throughout trial runs, they succeeded in fabricating high-resolution images within polymers with various thicknesses, ranging from thin films to blocks measuring six inches deep.
This technology holds promise for a broad range of applications where compact, personalized visual data of exceptional precision is pivotal. Surgical planning, architectural design, education, and even art are some areas that can drastically benefit from this development, according to Ivan Aprahamian, a chemistry professor at Dartmouth and co-corresponding author of the report. Aprahamian notes that this technique is tantamount to reversible 3D printing, eliminating the need for intricate equipment or virtual reality headsets. Instead, the critical components are a translucent polymer with optimal optical properties and the team's chemical switch.
Aprahamian collaborated with Qingkai Qi, a postdoctoral researcher at Dartmouth and the paper's first author, to develop a light-sensitive compound called azobenzene and an optical enhancer known as boron difluoride. These components transform readily available polymers, such as an acrylic cube, into functional displays when combined. The process relies on a specially designed projector crafted by Alex Lippert, a chemistry professor at SMU and co-corresponding author of the study, and his Ph.D. candidate Joshua Plank. Red light activates the chemical additive, serving as an ink to produce the desired image, while blue light functions in erasing the image when needed.
Lippert elaborates that the projector emanates various patterns of light from different angles, and the photosensitive chemical reacts at the points of intersection, resulting in the formation of detailed 3D patterns within the treated polymer. For instance, this method enables the transformation of 2D images such as a chest X-ray into 3D projections by fragmenting the original image into slices, which are then projected into a polymer cube to form a coherent 3D representation.
The researchers further aim to enhance the animations they can produce within polymers by refining the process. Nevertheless, the technology outlined in Chem reveals its present practicality for application within industries and healthcare. The team believes that scaling up the technology necessitates modifications to the chemical switch properties to improve factors such as resolution, contrast, and refresh rate. Lippert emphasizes that it is possible to expand the scale and create a turnkey system comprising automated hardware and software for enhanced ease of use.
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