We just finished printing your meds
Pill printers hum in the back room, covered in the glow of ads promising “Custom health at custom speed”. Meanwhile, the next customer, masking their age with blocky sunglasses and a colourful gravity blouse, waves recognition consent before approaching her counter. Her system puts up customer details.
- Good evening, Miss Reyker. We just finished printing your meds.
- Thank you. Finally, some good news today.
- Can I have your treatment?
- Here you go.
The gravity blouse ripples weightlessly around her shoulders when Miss Reyker pulls a rectangular orange tray from her handbag and puts it on the counter.
- Thank you.
She scans the calibration codes and inserts the standard row of transparent slender containers filled with pills, tablets, and capsules. Each container clicks when inserted and starts blinking, syncing with the treatment.
- Please remember to stick to sensored food products so your treatment can monitor your diet and adjust the doses. Can I help you with anything else today?
Miss Reyker, squinting at her reflection on the glass countertop, shifts her blocky sunglasses to the top of her head.
- I think I might have VR eyes. Can you throw in something for that?
- Of course. Now that you mentioned it, I can see some mild corneal irritation. Let’s check it.
She swipes the counter expertly to run the diagnostic mode. Two recesses shaped like oversized hands appear on the counter’s surface.
- Can you place your palms on the counter and look directly into the scancam on your right for me?
Miss Reyker shivers a little when built-in sensors envelop both palms with the cold touch of the disinfectant. The counter slowly fills with data, presenting a glowing breakdown of her vitals.
- We may need to reprint your medication or ask you to get another consultation if it’s serious. One of the substances you take for fire lungs may not be a good combination with stronger eye meds.
She sighs, rubbing her eyes impatiently.
- Those seasonal fires make everything harder.
- I hear that from many patients. Thank you for waiting. You can remove your hands. I will process your vitals now.
- Can’t I just have something for regular people? Are all drugs personalised now, anyway?
- Personalised treatments are safer and cheaper, but most patients with long-term conditions enjoy much fewer pills the most.
- Fewer pills?
- Yes. Once your doctor adds a prescription to your treatment, it is optimised according to your data like vitals, genetic markers, lifestyle metrics, other medication you take, etc.
She moves the treatment loading containers aside and brings up an animated process diagram explaining the process on the counter.
- When your treatment requests a prescription from your pharmacy, our AI creates a custom recipe combining all the active pharmaceutical ingredients you need into an optimal delivery protocol.
She points to the next step on the diagram.
- Our 3D parser uses this protocol to break down standard drugs into component ingredients which the 3D printer then reformulates just for you into an optimal number of tablets, capsules and pills exactly right for your body.
- Your machines are juggling all the pills for me?
- Exactly. That’s a great explanation. I will write it down later.
- Do all those machines make your work more exciting?
- I would say so. Precision is very important in my line of work.
The process animation fades away, giving space to the diagnosis. She directs her customer's attention to the results breakdown with a gesture.
- Okay. I have more good news for you, Miss Reyker. There is no need to reprint your medication. Your eyes are just tired.
She turns around and pulls eye drops from a drawer behind the counter.
- I will give you some standard eyedrops that can be used with your current treatment.
- Good.
- Ping your doctor if your eyes don’t start getting better in the next few days.
The last container on the orange tray stops blinking.
- The treatment has loaded all the data, so you're ready for the season. The payment is also complete. Would you like it privacy-wrapped?
- No thanks.
- Have a great day, and see you next time.
- Thank you, and give my compliments to your jugglers.
Miss Reyker offers a grateful nod before stepping into the cool evening air. She pauses, tapping a stylus against her chin, muttering to herself.
- Hmm… Machines juggling pills.
She smiles at the idea while correcting her notes.
Practical patient benefits of 3D parsing to 3D printing workflows for on-demand personalised medication.
3DPRS-2-3DPRN workflow for on-demand personalised medication
Machines Juggling the Pills for Patients: Practical benefits of parse-and-print workflow for on-demand patient-specific drug delivery in small towns.
- Now that’s a conference-worthy title!
Hello Practical Futurists,
Welcome back from the future, where treatment is a device that doctors feed with prescriptions, and 3D parsing simplifies supply chains.
Hit the "Like" button at the top or bottom of this page to inspire others and help them discover the stories you've enjoyed.Great leaders practice experiencing the future, not just thinking about it. Like athletes visualizing their performance, they build vivid mental pictures of tomorrow to make better decisions today.
Our weekly workouts use futures thinking and product sci-fi to help you create a library of future memories - turning abstract possibilities into reference points that can inform your choices.
To spark your imagination, here's a thought to start with:
Let's make this future personal.
We'll start by connecting this story to your life, transforming abstract possibilities into memories you can use to navigate tomorrow's challenges.
Personal life reflection prompts:
1. When was the last time someone's simple explanation helped you understand a complex process through a simple analogy? What made it click?2. Picture yourself explaining personalised medication to a sceptical relative: - Which aspect of the technology do you focus on to make it relatable? - What everyday analogy helps them understand the idea? - What concerns do they raise, and how do you address them? - What moment makes them finally see the benefits?
3. If AI could optimise and personalise the products you use daily, what things would you want it to adjust first and why?4. Create a memory of your first encounter with parse-and-print technology: - What did you need to recreate? - How did it feel to watch something being broken down and rebuilt? - What surprised you about the transformation? - Which possibility was the most exciting?
5. How comfortable would you be with AI systems making personalised health recommendations based on your comprehensive health data? What would increase your trust?6. Imagine yourself using a "smart" diagnostic counter at a service centre: - What sensations do you notice first? - How does the immediate feedback affect your confidence? - What questions do you wish you had asked? - When does the technology feel the most natural?
Good job!
Your future memory library now has some valuable personal references. Let's fire up your thinking to add some professional leadership moments.
How will you help others navigate this future? It's time to create those memories.
Professional life reflection prompts:
1. How do you make complex processes understandable to different audiences? 2. Picture teaching others about component-level thinking: - What analogy helped them understand? - How did you explain the benefits? - What question changed your perspective? - How did it transform their work?
3. In what ways could real-time data integration transform decision-making processes in your organisation?4. Imagine collaborating with an organisational AI in your professional role: - When do you trust AI the most? - When do you rely more on human judgment? - What unexpected synergies emerge? - How has your professional identity evolved?
5. If you could automate the repetitive aspects of your role, which three skills would become more valuable?6. Create a memory of explaining your AI-enhanced role to someone outside your field: - What analogies work best? - Which aspects generate the most curiosity? - How do you describe the human-AI partnership? - What makes you the proudest about the evolution of your work?
7. What metrics would convince you to trust an AI system with critical decisions in your field?8. Picture training a new team member on AI-assisted customer service: - What aspects do they grasp immediately? - Where do they need the most guidance? - What questions make you think differently? - How has your expertise evolved?
You did amazing! Excellent work!
Today's memories are added to your growing library of future experiences.
Thank you for expanding your imagination with us. Leaders with bold ideas move our world forward.
Think bright, and see you soon.
Pawel Halicki
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