China3D printingNet March 10th, scientists from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology have developed an automatic production line for3D printingLow-cost custom prostheses.
In the team’s simplified design process, the unaffected hand of the amputee will be scanned, cut using CAD software, and then directly converted into printablestl file. Then, by clicking a button, the generated parts can be easily assembled into realistic limbs with advanced object gripping functions, thereby providing patients with a higher quality of life.
The scientist’s custom scan settings (pictured) cost less than $40. The picture comes from the Israel Institute of Technology.
Promote the development of barrier-free prosthetics
Losing a hand can severely affect someone’s quality of life by increasing their dependence on others, but the cost of a prosthetic limb is between US$3,000 and US$100,000. As a result, the price of many amputees exceeds the price of custom equipment, especially considering that they usually require costly manual installations by trained professionals for optimal performance.
In addition to cost, prostheses suffer from other problems that lead to high rejection rates, including their appearance, weight, grip and lack of sensory feedback. The rejection of such patients can also lead to serious consequences, leading to joint and muscle degeneration, painful inflammation, and many other potentially serious complications.
use simultaneously3D printing, It is now possible to reduce the assembly steps required to manufacture prostheses while creating more complex designs, and many recent projects have successfully achieved this. However, the development of low-cost artificial limbs with consistent characteristics and fast enough to meet the demand is still a problem.
In order to increase production and reduce reliance on well-trained experts, Israeli scientists have therefore developed a digital design pipeline that can produce reasonably priced prostheses without manual intervention.
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The group’s3D printingThe hands have embedded force sensors (as shown in the picture), which can provide them with sensing functions. Photo courtesy of the Israel Institute of Technology.
Build a prosthetic factory
The researcher’s production line basically consists of four steps: scanning, modeling,3D printingAnd assembly. In the initial design stage, the appearance of the prosthesis can be customized according to the user’s preferences, and the patient can choose between physically powered hands and more advanced EMG-controlled devices.
After the restoration is completed, it will automatically be converted tostl fileAnd send it for printing. Although the scientists’ workflow still requires manual assembly of the final parts, they have found that the previous steps can be optimized to shorten the process, making the construction simple, fast, and user-friendly.
In order to make the setup as feasible as possible, the Israeli team even created a low-cost custom scanner based on the Intel RealSense camera at a price of about $40. The prostheses found were not inferior, as they proved to be able to pour liquids and hold household items more than 50,000 times.
In other tests, the additive limb showed the ability to adapt its grip level to super soft or rigid objects, and its motor would stop at different times according to the resistance level. Although the prosthesis has not yet been introduced to potential users, when the amputee sees it, they praise the weight and realistic appearance of the prosthesis, which indicates that the patient’s rejection may be minimized.
In the end, the scientists concluded that by eliminating the need for expensive manual assembly, their3D printingThe production line can significantly reduce the cost of prostheses for those in need. Although the team did not give an overall price during the production process, they concluded that the overall concept can “provide a much-needed leap in this field.”
Optimize prosthetic production
although3D printingProstheses have been available for several years, but the focus of the industry has recently shifted to making them easier for amputees.For example, Partial Hand Solutions, a prosthesis manufacturer, uses Formlabs’ new Form 1 in its production process. 3D printingMachine, it can make 80 artificial fingers every day. Using the machine also allows the company to manufacture limbs that are both cheaper and better suited to the needs of patients.
Similarly, researchers at Lincoln University have also developed a3D printingThe sensor-operated prosthetic arm is specially designed for two-year-old children. In view of the fact that many children do not have their limbs added due to continuous growth, the device has been constructed as a cheaper alternative.
In other places, customized prostheses have been developed to meet the needs of patients suffering from various other injuries, and scientists have even fallen into3D printingTrouble with the testicles. According to reports, Korean men have to pay more than US$715 for artificial gonads, and this additive ball aims to provide a low-cost alternative.
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