VISION: A device that builds human organs and tissues from scratch.

WHY: The originals wear out.

VISIONARY: Thomas Boland, 38.

DAY JOB: Assistant professor of bioengineering at Clemson University.

BREAKTHROUGH: Boland has modified surplus ink-jet printers to squirt out a "bio ink" of cells, growth factors, and degradable gel to form three-dimensional tubes of living tissue. The gel acts as a scaffold for the cells to rest on as they naturally fuse together into the desired form.

BREAKTHROUGH NEEDED: The ability to supply freshly forged hearts, livers, and kidneys with the essential nutrients they need to survive. Boland's approach would incorporate functional blood vessels right into the organ as it's being "printed."

WHO'S PAYING ATTENTION: Funding comes from NASA; Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) and Canon (CAJ) have both expressed interest in the novel ink-jet application.

QUOTE: "Organ printing will be a great contribution to personalized medical care, since it enables us to potentially build every single fiber of our being. It's a huge step toward the eternity of mankind."