THIS DOCTOR IS MAKING STAR TREK DREAMS COME TRUE

We talked to Julielynn Wong, a doctor who 3-D prints medical supplies in remote rural areas, in war zones and even in space

What’s the mission of your company, 3D4MD?

We’ve tested 11 3-D-printable surgical instruments—sponge sticks, scalpel handles—that can be made on-site or delivered by drones. We have 50 more designs in our catalogue. Our goal is to deploy them in humanitarian settings and to teach locals how to use them.

What’s the coolest thing you’ve printed?

Definitely our ninja star two-point discriminator, a tool that helps doctors diagnose neurological disorders.

Sounds like sci-fi.

Star Trek replicators are real. This year we 3-D printed custom-fitted finger splints on the Space Station using a solar-powered replicator.

Speaking of space travel, you led a simulation at the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah. What was that like?

I brought my 3-D printer in a carry-on suitcase. I thought, let’s hook it up to solar panels and see if we can make some supplies, which is what we did.

How does airport security deal with your 3-D printer?

Once, when I was coming home from Edmonton, I told the guard, “This is my Star Trek replicator that lives inside my R2D2 suitcase.” He said, “You have made my day,” and waved me through.

How long until we can print “tea, earl grey, hot”?

Well, we’re not printing tea just yet, but I do have a pancake printer. Instead of putting out plastic, the printer head puts batter on a griddle in the shape you want.