6 BIOHYBRID MACHINES

Thus far in our exploration into biofabrication, we have discussed different avenues by which we can recreate the structure and function of biological systems that are already present in nature. Our goal has been to replicate the conditions generated by our natural environment as closely as possible to recreate tissues and organs for medicine, food, and consumer products. This was indeed the focus of biofabrication technology development and applications in the initial years and decades of its scientific rise. However, some biofabrication researchers have now started to move away from reverse engineering what already exists in our natural world and toward forward engineering biofabricated constructs with nonnatural or hypernatural functionalities.