The ability to three-dimensionally interweave biological tissue with functional 
electronics could enable the creation of bionic organs possessing enhanced 
functionalities over their human counterparts. Conventional electronic devices 
are inherently two-dimensional, preventing seamless multidimensional integration 
with synthetic biology, as the processes and materials are very different. Here, 
we present a novel strategy for overcoming these difficulties via additive 
manufacturing of biological cells with structural and nanoparticle derived 
electronic elements. As a proof of concept, we generated a bionic ear via 3D 
printing of a cell-seeded hydrogel matrix in the anatomic geometry of a human 
ear, along with an intertwined conducting polymer consisting of infused silver 
nanoparticles. This allowed for in vitro culturing of cartilage tissue around an 
inductive coil antenna in the ear, which subsequently enables readout of 
inductively-coupled signals from cochlea-shaped electrodes. The printed ear 
exhibits enhanced auditory sensing for radio frequency reception, and 
complementary left and right ears can listen to stereo audio music. Overall, our 
approach suggests a means to intricately merge biologic and nanoelectronic 
functionalities via 3D printing.