The Future of 3D Printing Prosthetics
3D printing was once considered an expensive and rare luxury, but now it has become much more affordable and easy to access. Although the worlds of 3-d printing can be vastly used for anything, it’s making a breakthrough in the medical world of prosthetics and engineering. There are a few companies in particular that are trailblazing a pathway for these new technologies.
Open Bionics is a company that specializes in creating a new future for prosthetic limbs. Instead of being made from costly materials such as metal like traditional prosthetics, these parts are all made from 3-d prints which are both sturdy and are cost-effective for both the makers and the buyers. It is said on the company site that these models are both functional and light, making sure that the wearer feels comfortable operating them. The company also aims to make them look sleek and “aesthetically pleasing.” On the images below, you can see one of the company’s prosthetics that are made for amputees that still have an elbow joint but don’t have anything up from their forearms or hands. The prosthetic operates through sensors that are placed on the wearer’s muscles which then send out an electric signal that moves the hand when specific muscles are flexed. Isn’t that super cool? Each finger can also be moved independently with different speeds, allowing for unique gripping modes and movements.
According to Karen Sprey on newatlas.com, “There are over 2 million amputees in the United States with 185,000 amputations every year. More than 90 percent of these involve amputations of the lower limbs.”
Although prosthetics have become much more accessible due to 3d printing, a few complaints were made by wearers is how mechanical and ‘tacky’ 3D printed prosthetics can look, according to William Root, a freelance engineer. Not only this, but there were also a few complaints of prosthetics not fitting the desired limbs. “The mechanical/robotic look and feel about them can exacerbate the sense of loss and negatively affect the psychological wellbeing of some amputees.”
Industrial designer William Root’s Exo-Prosthetic leg (pictured above) embraced the goal of customization asethetics in prosthesis design. He believes the unaesthetic appearance of prosthetic limbs is a result of an outdated process of producing them, and believes in focusing a new future in not only function, but design and satisfaction for the wearer. By using a combination of 3D scanning, printing and modeling software, Root says he takes extra care in the creation process by innovating new ways to make prosthetics customizable for the client (rather than a ‘copy-and-paste template design commonly used in older prosthetic practices), while still making them affordable.
The process starts by scanning a patient’s residual limb and remaining intact limb to create a customized and precise 3D virtual model which allows the exact dimensions of the patients anatomy to be put into the machine. The scans of the model and (separately created) prosthetic mechanisms are then combined in a 3D mesh model to create the raw model of the prosthesis. The limb is then hollowed out to form an exoskeleton, which reduces a lot of weight. This surface pattern of the exoskeleton is what can be customizable and uniquely colored or shaped to the clients liking, or it can be used as a ‘scaffolding’ for a silicone sleeve. The finished model is then sent to a 3D printer. The prosthetics are printed out of titanium, which are extremely durable, lightweight and a strong type of metal. It can be very easily assembled as well.
As the picture describes, Root embraces the uniqueness of the prosthetic’s design by having the piece look ‘futuristic, sleek, and modern.’ He hopes that more prosthetic designers not only focus on mobility, but also the customers’ satisfaction of the physical designs as well.
Accessibility to these prosthetics are closer than we think.
In this article, a local library community printed a prosthetic limb for five-year-old Katelyn, who was born without a fully formed left hand. Her parents were on a search to find a prosthetic arm for her when they discovered the e-NABLE Community. This community is a group that talks through an online forum around the world and work freelance to create free prosthetic limb design plans using 3D printing. When a prototype is created by a freelancer, they put the design on the website for anyone to download and print on their own.
The head of the library reached out to Katelyn’s family to take measurements and discuss different printing options. A team of library patrons who had a bit of knowledge in 3D printing offered to help. Ferrell says. “Some volunteers even printed parts at home to keep the effort going.”
Katelyn’s father even contributed to the cause. “We weren’t satisfied with one of the 3D-printed hinge pins, so he went to the hardware store and found an appropriate replacement,” Ferrell says. “It’s very satisfying to know that the family participated in building the prosthetic. Now the success of the arm is due to the father’s work alongside the work done here by volunteers.”
The team even made sure the design was to her liking, printing it in pink and purple, her favorite colors. Katelyn then received her prothetic at a family gathering when it was completely finished. The entire family was there and they all watched her open her gift,” Ferrell says. “She exclaimed ‘It’s my new arm!’ and put it straight on like she’s done it before. She seemed really pleased with it.” Its remarkable to see a community come together (in this case, a local library and a world-wide team of designers) to make a difference in a young girls life through modern technology.
With this, I give my thoughts on the future of 3D printed prosthetics;
How do you see this technology advancing in the future?
Technology will keep growing even rapidly in the future. The rise of 3-D printing merely started less than a decade ago and improved further this year, and it has already come along way. I have met with many online 3D model & printing designers (and a few local ones too) who have created bionic/ prosthetic arms like these merely in their free time. With the prices of small 3D printers being more affordable, prosthetics like these will become much more affordable, accessible, and even customizable. Even patients can print out prosthetics of their own with enough knowledge in the field.
What impacts could this have on your career or field of study?
This will have a positive impact on this field of study, because more individuals can gain freelance knowledge on the subject of scanning, modeling, and 3-D printing. Instead of the field being niche like it used to, it is becoming more common in the engineering and medical workplace and now this leaves opportunity for further discovery in these designs and also accessibility.
How could this positively and negatively affect society as a whole?
The accessibility of printers and materials can leave more individuals to learn about 3-D modeling and making prosthetics on their own. There are many libraries and colleges that also offer 3-D printing labs where anyone can have access to these machines. It certainly leaves room for creativity, but as for getting a genuine prosthetic fitted for every day use, it is still recommended to consult with professionals that specialize in durability and mobility design with 3-D printed prosthetics.