To help drive the economic recovery, the UK Government has overhauled the design and technology syllabus following an earlier draft of the document placed too much emphasis on topics such as sewing, cooking, bicycle maintenance and flower arranging. Complains by Sir James Dyson (the inventor) among others set the wheels in motion to change the curriculum. The curriculum published earlier this year had prioritised “life skills” over academic disciplines. The new curriculum will now cover extensive use of cutting-edge design equipment including laser cutters, robotics and 3D printers. The new-style lessons will start from 2014 and will place a greater emphasis on the core knowledge that each pupil will require between the age of five and 14.

This rates amongst the more interesting of 3D printing applications that I've come across ... a 3D printed exoskeletal cast for a broken limb.