Methods and apparatus for computer-aided tissue engineering for modeling, design and freeform fabrication of tissue scaffolds, constructs, and devices

Abstract

One aspect of the invention provides a material delivery system including: a plurality of nozzles and one or more controllers adapted and configured to control the plurality of nozzles to simultaneously deposit heterogeneous materials including one or more cells to manufacture a part or device. Another aspect of the invention provides a method including simultaneously depositing heterogeneous materials including one more cells using a plurality of nozzles.

1 . A material delivery system comprising:
 a plurality of nozzles; and   one or more controllers adapted and configured to control the plurality of nozzles to simultaneously deposit heterogeneous materials including one or more cells to manufacture a part or device.   
     
     
         2 . The material delivery system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a data processing system adapted and configured to convert a scaffold model into a layered tool path.   
     
     
         3 . The material delivery system of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a motion control system adapted and configured to implement the layered tool path.   
     
     
         4 . The material delivery system of  claim 2 , wherein the data processing system is adapted and configured to convert a CAD design into a heterogeneous material and multi-part assembly model that can be used for multi-nozzle printing. 
     
     
         5 . The material delivery system of  claim 4 , wherein the one or more controllers are adapted and configured to utilize one or more techniques selected from the group consisting of: Boolean, scaling, smoothing, and mirroring to modify the CAD design prior to conversion into the material and multi-part assembly model. 
     
     
         6 . The material delivery system of  claim 4 , wherein the CAD design is derived from one or more selected from the group consisting of: magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data, computed tomography (CT) data, and other patient-specific data. 
     
     
         7 . The material delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein the part or device includes a biomimetic or non-biomimetic feature. 
     
     
         8 . The material delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein the part or device is a tissue scaffold. 
     
     
         9 . The material delivery system of  claim 8 , wherein the tissue scaffold includes directly-deposited cells. 
     
     
         10 . The material delivery system of  claim 9 , wherein the tissue scaffold includes directly-deposited biological factors. 
     
     
         11 . The material delivery system of  claim 8 , wherein the tissue scaffold is one or more selected from the group consisting of: a biochip tissue scaffold, a biosensor tissue scaffold, a bionic tissue scaffold, a cybernetic tissue scaffold, a mechanoactive tissue scaffold, and a bioactive tissue scaffold. 
     
     
         12 . The material delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein the part or device is an artificial organ. 
     
     
         13 . The material delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein the part or device is an artificial vasculature or channel system. 
     
     
         14 . The material delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein the part or device is a cytotoxicity testing sample. 
     
     
         15 . The material delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein the part or device is a drug delivery device. 
     
     
         16 . The material delivery system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of nozzles are of different types and sizes. 
     
     
         17 . A method comprising:
 simultaneously depositing heterogeneous materials including one more cells using a plurality of nozzles.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 converting a CAD design into a three-dimensional heterogeneous material model in a format suitable for three-dimensional, multi-nozzle printing.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the CAD design comprises at least one biomimetic feature and at least one non-biomimetic feature. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the CAD design is derived from one or more selected from the group consisting of: magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data, computed tomography (CT) data, and other patient-specific data.