By 2019, one in 10 people living in the developing world will have 3D-printed items in or on their bodies.” That is the claim made by research firm Gartner Group. It appeared on screens on both sides of the stage at the 2017 Techonomy conference, focused on the convergence of man and machine, on Monday.

3D-printed models allowed a surgical team in New York to separate conjoined twins whose heads were fused at the cranium, in just one example of the ways these technologies are already being applied in countries such as the United States. But soon, 3D-printed items such as custom hearing aid shells and bioprinted organs will be available globally, said Vyomesh Joshi, CEO of 3D Systems.

Techonomy, a conference and media company that organizes events on how technological advances are transforming industries and addressing global challenges, announced that its 2018 focus will be on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. At its conference in Half Moon Bay, California, this week, sessions covered autonomous mobility, the blockchain economy, and urban innovation, among other topics. One session — “Advancing Global Health With Tech” — narrowed in on the SDGs, capturing how technology is one part of the path to achieving SDG 3 on good health and well-being.

Read the full article by Catherine Cheney about global health from Devex International Development