Method and apparatus for generating three-dimensional patterned soft structures and uses thereof

1. A method for generating a three-dimensional patterned soft structure, by using a soft supporting substrate, a drop-on-demand system with a device for varying the velocity of jetted droplets, and a liquid ink, the method comprising:

jetting the liquid ink towards the soft supporting substrate with the drop-on-demand system;

controlling an injection depth of the liquid ink into the soft supporting substrate by varying a jetting velocity of the liquid ink; and

depositing droplets of the liquid ink over a volume of the soft supporting substrate to generate the three-dimensional patterned soft structure.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the soft supporting substrate behaves as a rigid body at low shear stress and flows as a viscous liquid at higher shear stresses.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the soft supporting substrate is a shear-thinning liquid.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional patterned soft structure is based on a digital three-dimensional model.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid ink is capable of crosslinking.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid ink includes alginate.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the soft supporting substrate includes gelatin.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising seeding cells into the liquid ink.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the soft supporting substrate is a reservoir of a crosslinking component of the liquid ink.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid ink droplets are deposited simultaneously.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid ink droplets are deposited serially.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:

depositing further liquid inks distinct from the liquid ink over the soft supporting substrate.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the drop-on-demand system is light-actuated by a light from a light source.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the drop-on-demand system comprises a transparent solid substrate, a thin solid-state light-absorbing film and a thin layer of the liquid ink.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the light is simultaneously focused onto several spots.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the light is spatially shaped and the content of a liquid jet is controlled.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the drop-on-demand system includes an inkjet printer.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the inkjet printer comprises several printing heads able to simultaneously generate droplets of various velocities.

19. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:

printing at least one of biological tissues or organs.

20. A system for generating a three-dimensional patterned soft structure by using a soft supporting substrate, the system comprising:

a light source for generating a light beam;

a device for controlling an intensity of the light beam of the light source to generate a controlled light beam;

an ink jetting layer having a liquid layer of ink, a solid-state light absorbing film, and a transparent solid layer, the controlled light beam impinging on the solid-state light absorbing film to generate a droplet from the liquid layer of ink;

a stage for moving the controlled light beam relative to the ink jetting layer; and

a soft supporting substrate for receiving the droplet at different penetration depths as a function of the intensity of the light beam.