3D Printing And Prosthetics

This is the first of (hopefully) many to come in the future. This is a very basic primer on 3D printing and how it can be used effectively to print efficient and very cheap prosthetic limbs. I have created a "Sway" too that I will be updating on a regular basis to keep the content up to date and meaningful. It is also easier to share the "Sway" with family and friends. It can be accessed here:

3D Printing & Prosthetics

If you prefer the regular blog format then read below.

What is 3D Printing?

In simplest of words, 3D printing involves printing actual objects. It is not manufacturing or creating, simply printing! And why is it called 3D printing? Because it involves a printer that connects to a computer.

The basic idea is that if you have designed a product in a CAD software, it can be printed out layer by layer using a 3D printer. There are several types of 3D printers available that use different technologies to print.

Some printers use powdered material (Selective Laser Sintering or SLS) while others use plastic or metal wire (Fused Deposition Modeling or FDM) or resin (Stereolithography).

Additional Reading: What is 3d Printing

Why is it such a big deal?

The basic principle of a 3D printer dictates that you can print objects with it. That's cool and all, but what is it about 3D printing that is causing such a huge commotion? See, what's amazing about 3D printing is that it cannot just print objects, it can print useful objects. VERY useful objects. So useful that those objects can save or extend people's lives.

Let's start with the basics.

We are not using ink - we are using glass, plastic, powder among other things to 3D print, which essentially means that we can print just about anything with a 3D printer. It's not easy to fathom the extent to which 3D printing can go. It is both mind blowing and baffling to know that 3D printing can print anything from a cute little toy to a life saving organ. Just recently, a major breakthrough in the 3D printing space allowed 3D printed tissue to survive on its own. Such breakthroughs have led to important organs like kidneys to be developed for transplants.

3D printing is fascinating.

3D Printing For Prosthetics

It's a no brainer that since we can print anything with a 3D printer, we can print prosthetics as well. There are more than 10 million amputees around the world [1]. Arranging a (traditional) prosthetic limb for them is always a challenge because of the cost involved which can range anywhere from $20,000 - $50,000. These exorbitant costs can deter anyone from pursuing an important accessory that will enhance their lives, more so because insurance companies do not cover the costs of prosthetic limbs especially for little children because they outgrow their prosthetic limb very quickly.




However, not surprisingly, 3D printers have come to the rescue of people who need artificial limbs. It is unbelievable how easily a limb can be printed by a 3D printer - layer by layer, that functions just like a traditional prosthetic limb. Believe it or not, a 3D printed prosthetic hand can cost anywhere from $5 to $100. That's it! And because of that, people are more willing to experiment with the design to come up with more efficient limbs. Outgrowing a prosthetic limb is not a worry anymore either.

Projects

There are several voluntary organizations out there that are making 3D printed prosthetic hands available for amputees at a very affordable price.

One of these organizations is Open Hand Project that makes prosthetic hands available for less than $1,000. It is an open source project which means that all the information required to create a

prosthetic hand using a 3D printer is readily available to the entire community on their website. Anyone who adds improvements to the project are shared with the entire community.

Another volunteer driven group is called E-nabling The Future which consists of engineers, students, teachers, occupational therapists, designers amongst others. This group helps print 3D prosthetics for those who need them, and the cost to print a hand may run anywhere between

$20 and $50.

Endless Opportunities

What you have read here is just the beginning. There are tons of innovations being made in the world of assistive technology using 3D printers on a regular basis! 3D printers are getting cheaper by the day, which means that more and more hobbyists and designers are getting their hands on them, fueling creativity and collaboration and taking 3D printing to a whole new level!

Last, But Not The Least

3D printers. If you or someone you know is interested in knowing more or using 3D printers, this link should be a good resource to get you started.

Sources: 

Images:

Cover Image [1]: Parade's Community Table

3D Printers Comparison Chart: Tom's Guide

Additional Sources:

[1]: Forbes

Man Compares His $42k Prosthetic Hand to a $50 3D Printed Cyborg Beast, Dad Uses 3D Printer To Make His Son A Prosthetic Hand (VIDEO), New 3D bioprinter to reproduce human organs, change the face of healthcare: The Inside Story

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Prosthetic Hand Lets Amputees Feel Texture Of Objects

Over the years, prosthetic hands are becoming more and more viable for people who lose their hands in accidents or were perhaps not born with one. Prosthetic limbs are great in that they help the users get back to daily routine operations. The one thing that most prosthetic limbs don't do however, is allow the wearer to feel the texture of objects that they grip. Scientists at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH have taken the prosthetic hand one step ahead by adding sensation and "feel" to the hand they have created. 

"Touch perception on the fingers and hand is essential for fine motor control, contributes to our sense of self, allows for effective communication, and aids in our fundamental perception of the world." ^[1]

Turns out, sensation is not felt or generated by a hand but by a certain part of the brain. When a person lose their hand, they inherently lose the input that switches on those parts of the brain responsible for sensation. By sending electric signals by a computer into nerves in the user's arm and eventually to a specific part of the brain, sensation or touch can be reactivated.

Igor Spetic, a man who lost his right hand in an industrial accident in 2005, says that he can see his arm hair raise when a cotton is brushed against his prosthetic hand.

Since the amputees can now feel the texture of the object they are handling, they also know exactly how much pressure to apply to form their grip without damaging the object. With other prosthetic hands, gripping tomatoes and grapes meant creating juice instantly!

Currently, this arm can be tested and improved only in a lab setting, however, the team plans to create an implantable hand in the next five years so it could be tested at home. Detailed description of how this hand works was published in this article.

Watch the video to learn about all the research that has been going on to make this hand a success.



Source: CWRU via Gizmodo, Science Translational Medicine [1] 

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Google Glass For Prosthetics And Blind Athletes

Google Glass, 3D printing, Prosthetics! We have heard so much about these in the recent past, and we will keep hearing about them since things are progressing so well in each of these avenues! Today, we have two different stories related to Google Glass - one, that will help people get cheaper prosthetics, and two, a blind paralympian using Google Glass to show kids his point of view and boost their confidence.

Prosthetics With Google Glass

Traditionally, getting prosthetics requires traveling to a clinic where a huge measuring machine with a robotic arm determines the specifications for the needed leg brace or prosthetics. Of course, this process is not inexpensive since the machine itself costs tense of thousands of dollars, and typically, the clinic would like to pass on costs to clients.

This will soon hopefully change. A research team at University of Delaware is exploring more affordable and convenient ways to do the exact same thing, but without the additional exorbitant costs of getting prosthetics from a traditional clinic.

The team is using Google Glass to capture all the information of the foot and lower leg in videos. These videos are then stitched together to get a 3D model of the cast and then instantly transformed into a template for a 3D printer. This method will first of all, cut down costs for the patients and second of all, make it convenient to go through this process at home without even going to the clinic to get the measurements taken. The patient can print the leg brace at home if they have a 3D printer or send it to a 3D printing lab or studio.

The team will soon be applying for funding to expand into prosthetic manufacturing as well.

A combination of technology like Google Glass and 3D printing helps bring manufacturing to everyday consumers who are not engineers or manufacturers.

Google Glass And A Blind Paralympian

Disability advocates are always looking for different ways to showcase abilities, and not disabilities of disabled people. Google Glass will be used for just that purpose.

Lex Gilette is a blind paralympian who began to lose his sight when he was seven years old. He has won three silver medals and holds the world record for long jump for F11 classified athletes. Being blind, he has to depend on someone to direct him down the runway and make calls for him on the fly.

"No need for sight when you have a vision."

Lex's plan is to wear Google Glass and show his perspective to high school kids so they could see what all it entails, and how a blind paralympian does it. The idea is to show kids that everything is possible, and how being not able bodied does not cause hindrance to your goals. Through Google Glass, Lex aims to make high school kids more confident.

Hit the source links to read more about both the stories.

Source: Newsworks (1), Fast Coexist (2)

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Bebionic3: Prosthetic Arm For Daily Use

In the last year or so, we have seen quite a few prosthetic limbs in the market that are just remarkable in their own way - from helping people pick up things to offering touch and feel. Rapid developments in this area only go to show that people are actually accepting prosthetic limbs as a good substitute for a real limb.

Nigel Ackland, who lost his arm in an accident six years ago, was fitted with the Bebionic3 just last November, and already he can use the arm so seamlessly and flawlessly to perform daily chores - from tying shoelaces to making an omelette.

I think the Bebionic3 is the only prosthetic arm (as far as I know) that comes with its own silicone skin to give it a natural appearance. The hand also comes with its own software that can be monitored and configured wirelessly. Make sure to check out the website (source link) to learn (a lot) more about the gripping mechanisms, components it is made of, and all the technical information.

Nigel Ackland, everyone.


Source: Bebionic.com via Gizmodo

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Bionic Hand That Offers Touch And Feel Real Time

The last few years have seen a tremendous amount of progress when it comes to prosthetics. However, one limitation of these prosthetic limbs (if it is one) is the lack of sensation - clinching an object does not invoke a sense of touch since the limb is not connected to the nervous system.

Recently, scientists at The �cole Polytechnique F�d�rale de Lausanne and Project Time have developed a new bionic hand that has sensors on the fingertips and connects to the nervous system of the amputee by implanting electrodes directly in two important nerves - median and ulnar, and deliver signals directly, thus enabling the person to feel the touch. Essentially, the limb is controlled by thought as well as receives touch signals from the hand sensors.

Feeling the touch/sensory signals is essential because the more sensory signals the amputee gets, the more likely the patient will fully accept and appreciate the limb.

The scientists are constantly improving and refining the interface for this limb and if all goes well, a full working model will be ready for testing in two years.

Source: The Independent, Project Time, Gizmodo, Engadget
Images source: Engadget, The Independent

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Touch Bionics Releases New Prosthetic Fingers

Image source: Engadget

Touch Bionics, a leading expert in prosthetic limbs, recently announced the global launch of new bionic finger technologies - a very good news for people with missing fingers.

The new additions to the product line include a finger that's shorter and lighter, and a wrist band that incorporates all of the processing and poer systems of the prosthesis.

This new development  enables prostheses to be made smaller, lighter and more anatomically accurate, e.g., for people with smaller hands and whose amputations are closer to the knuckles. 

Needless to say, these prosthetic fingers help people perform daily chores and activities, and pursue their hobbies and interests, thus boosting their self confidence and improving their quality of life.

Watch this video to learn about the benefits of prosthetic fingers.

Check out their website to learn more about the prosthetic fingers. To read the press release, hit the source link.

Website: Touch Bionics

Source: Engadget

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