New 4D printed microneedles could one day eliminate the need for painful hypodermic needles to deliver shots, inject drugs, and get blood samples, researchers report. While 3D printing builds objects layer by layer, 4D goes further with smart materials programmed to change shape after printing.

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Time is the fourth dimension that allows materials to morph into new shapes. “We think our 4D-printed microneedle array will allow for more robust and sustained use of minimally invasive, pain-free, and easy-to-use microneedles for delivering drugs, healing wounds, biosensing, and other soft tissue applications,” says senior author Howon Lee, an assistant professor in the mechanical and aerospace engineering department in the School of Engineering at Rutgers University-New Brunswick.

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This microneedle array has backward-facing barbs that interlock with tissue when inserted, enhancing adhesion. (Credit: Riddish Morde/Rutgers) Hypodermic needles are widely used in hospitals and labs to extract blood and inject drugs, causing […]

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