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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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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3D Printed Exoskeleton

What is it that 3D printers cannot print? "Nothing" is probably the most accurate answer!

Artificial limbs, that are usually not very cheap and easy to get are easily becoming quite affordable. To take things a step further and make things more exciting, a 3D printed exoskeleton was given to Amanda Boxtel, who has been paralyzed from waist down since 1992, enabling her to get off her wheelchair and walk again. She was told by her doctors that she would never be able to do so!

The Ekso-Suit, designed specifically for Amanda, was made possible by designers at 3DS. To make sure that the exoskeleton fit her perfectly, they started by scanning the contours of her thighs, shins and spine and digitizing all that information to create the 3D base for the exoskeleton, which was then integrated into other mechanical components to create the full automated suit. One important factor they had to consider while designing the suit was that since Amanda did not have any sensation from waist down, they didn't want any of the components poking into her skin as that would have caused abrasions. Since Amanda has no sensation in her legs, those abrasions could have formed dangerous complications.

This 3D printed Exoskeleton is a big step towards making such accessories available to the common masses at prices substantially less than other commercially available solutions. 3D printing in the coming years is going to bring lots of exciting yet inexpensive enhancements to the assistive technology world!

Watch this video to see all the components the Ekso-Suit is made of. Also see Amanda Boxtel walk with the Ekso-Suit on!

Source: 3D Systems via Gizmodo

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Mind Controlled Robotic Leg

Image source: Technology Review website

A lot of progress has been made in the world of prosthetics, but we have not seen a whole lot when it comes to mind controlled prosthetic limbs. 

That's going to change soon!

Scientists at Long Beach Veterans Affairs Medical Center in California recently announced that they have invented a new robotic leg that is controlled by EEG signals (electric impulses generated by our brains) that are fed into a computer. This robotic leg is meant for both able bodied people and people with spinal cord injuries.

One major factor that was given utmost importance during testing was the number of "false starts" this system would (not) generate. Imagine a person with this robotic leg waiting to cross a railway track or a busy road - false starts triggered by the brain's electric impulses would put the robotic leg in motion, making the person to walk (when not required), and ultimately causing a fatal accident. Fortunately, during testing, there were zero false starts observed!

This robotic leg has so far been tested on able bodied subjects, and the next step is to test it on people with spinal cord injuries and incomplete motor skills. Achieving success with the latter group would be a giant leap in this field of research. As of now, the ability to start and stop walking was tested. Future testing would include turning and sitting.

Here's a video that demonstrates this robotic leg on an able bodied person. The subject in this video instructs his legs to start and stop walking for a total of five minutes.

Source: Technology Review via Engadget

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Prosthetics Of The Future

Ever wonder what's happening in the prosthetics world? How advanced prosthetic/ bionic body parts are, and what kind of things they can do already? Is the human leg or arm the ultimate benchmark against which these prosthetics are measured? Or can we go a step ahead and make something that is even better than the natural body parts?

Watch this video (which is a promotional video for a new game called Deus Ex) to see a guy, Rob Spence, who lost his right eye as a youngster, with a video camera installed in his right artificial eye (which was named one of the 50 best inventions of 2009). He travels around the world and meets people who have bionic body parts (eyes, arms, legs) who explain how their prosthetics function, and if they are even better than the "real thing". 

Note: Video contains a few graphic scenes.

Go here to read more about Rob Spence's Eyeborg project.

Source: Popsci

[Thanks, Travis!]

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Bionic Leg For Amputees

After seven years of hard work, researchers at Vanderbilt University have created a new "bionic" leg that is much more lighter, faster, and smarter than the regular prosthetic leg.  It is the only prosthetic leg that has the powered knee and ankle joint operating together.

 "A passive leg is always a step behind me. The Vanderbilt leg is only a split-second behind", says Craig Hutto, who has been testing this leg for several years. The Vanderbilt prosthetic walks 25% faster on level surfaces than other prosthetic legs.

The "bionic" leg has sensors that detect motion of the wearer. This data is then sent to microprocessors that predict what the person is trying to do, and acts accordingly to allows the wearer to operate the leg in ways that will make movement easier.

This leg makes it easy for a person to sit, stand, walk, and go up and down stairs and ramps. It can continuously walk for 13 to 14 kilometers (three days of normal activity) on a single charge, and weighs only nine pounds (human lower legs usually weigh more than that).

Freedom Innovations has been given exclusive rights to develop this prosthesis.

Watch the video to see Craig Hutto using the Vanderbilt prosthetic leg.

Source: Physorg.com via Engadget

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