3D printing directly affects our lives with new opportunities in medical applications. Especially with prototyping feature, it changes many people’s lives with organ and prosthesis manufacturing. The last example of this was 11 year old Daniel who got a new hand.
Even though prosthesis changes amputees lives their movement capacity is limited with only opening and closing motions. Also these prosthesis need to be changed after a certain period of time which cauuses financial problems. Losing its left hand because of a disease, Daniel had been göne through these kinds of problems since he was seven. A collaborative work of 3D Systems and Intel manufactured a prosthesis hand with 3D printing.
To help Daniel obtain a less expensive, and less heavy, limb, Intel partnered with 3D Systems, who announced their entrance into the prosthetic space via partnerships with e-NABLE and UNYQ. Evan Kuester, an applications engineer at 3D Systems, performed a 3D scan of Daniel’s hands before designing a 3D printed limb that would be lighter and more cost-effective. Unlike traditional prosthetics, 3D printed limbs can both be affordably tailored to their wearers and shaped in such a way as to actually be useful for fine motor skills. Kuester tells Intel that different hands can be printed for different purposes, such as holding a hammer or guitar pick, and switched out when necessary.
Daniel’s new prosthetic is a bargain at twice the price, not only is it slimmer and lighter, but it offers him a greater range of motion than his other, bulky hand. Plus, the hand doesn’t require any power because it was designed so the fingers flex when Daniel moves his wrist. And the best part is the prosthetic hand only cost his family $400 total. And because the process of 3D printing prosthetics is so affordable and relatively simple, Kuester says that custom devices that serve specific needs can also created, so Daniel can have interchangeable attachments made to play a guitar, hold specific tools or hold a violin bow.