That pays for the high-tech printing, hand-binding and a presentation box that's covered in goatskin and linen.

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For years, the potential of 3D printing has made tech geeks drool, but now we're finally starting to see the technology graduate from a mere novelty into a highly useful tool.

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Can we say that a high-tech process like 3D printing, or laser cutting, or laser sintering, or pick any new tech, is not manufacturing for a new age?

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"New digital design tech, 3D printing, robotics and the emerging field of 3D scanning, plus exponential leaps in manufacturing -- together, they are putting really powerful tools into the hands of individuals, " he says.

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With advancements in nano-tech and 3-d printing manufacturing and transportation are going to change dramatically.

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While primarily a novelty among the tech-obsessed, 3-D printing been used successfully for a variety of tasks, from making jewelry or medical supplies to larger projects in industrial design and engineering.

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Despite the tech's home furnishing friendly approach, this breakthrough printing technique can't be done with your everyday inkjet, but it will make the cost of solar energy installations a bit cozier.

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"What we're looking at doing is developing tech that bridges that gap between traditional manufacturing and 3-D printing, " Buford said.

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In other green tech news, 3Doodler launched the world's first 3D-printing pen and a group of teens are working on turning mosquitos into "flying syringes" to deliver vaccines to humans.

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