Trying to replicate the intricate functions of the human eye is near the top of the list of many technology companies. The latest project to make such an attempt is an inkjet printer which mimics the human eye to produce clog-free prints.
The eye and the clog-free printer share a common challenge; they must not be allowed to dry, but simultaneously, they must both open and close.
The printer uses a droplet of silicone oil to cover the opening of the nozzle when not in use, similar to the film of oil that keeps a thin layer of tears from evaporating off the eye. On the surface of the human eye, eyelids spread the film of oil over the layer of tears. But at the tiny scale of the ink jet nozzle, mechanical shutters like eyelids wouldn’t work, because they would be stuck in place by surface tension. Instead, the droplet of oil for the nozzle is easily moved in and out of place by an electric field.
Extended application of this process could reach far beyond printers.
The hope is to eventually create biological tissue printers, which may someday be capable of fabricating replacement organs and squirt out living cells to form biological structures. Such biometric machines with clog-free nozzles could bring the technological cycle full circle.