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3D printed prosthetic arm cost
Teenagers develop 3D-printed bionic arm 30 times cheaper than existing prosthetics
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Seeking to create affordable solutions for people with disabilities, Global GenU winning team eBionics developed a 3D-printed bionic arm which allows anyone to print and assemble it themselves.
Lisar Morina
UNICEF North Macedonia
28 January 2021
Skopje, North Macedonia – Somewhere in downtown Skopje, amid the purring of engines and honking of sirens, 17-year-old Boris meanders the many streets and alleys of the city to make his way into an inconspicuous building not far from the plaza. He steps into a small makeshift workshop lined with shelves full of odd machines, wrenches, screwdrivers, crates and canisters with labels of all kinds. Joining three other teenagers, he sits in front of a 3D printer. It is printing a prosthetic arm.
One glance suffices to realise that Boris and his friends are not just high-school students. They are also remarkable innovators with a zeal and fervor about their work that is contagious.
“People look differently at young innovators like us—they don’t believe that we are capable of creating impactful innovations that help people at large,” says Boris. “But we like to think differently.”
Driven by a deep desire to create affordable solutions for people with disabilities, 17-year-old Boris Nocheski, 17-year-old Anamaria Ilieva, 16-year-old Teo Kitanovski, and 17-year-old Orhan Bahashov are using 3D printing technology to create a user-friendly bionic arm that is 1/30th of the price of existing prosthetics. And it can “grow” with children!
Globally, millions of people suffer from upper limb deficiencies, which can affect physical and mental health and inhibit people from leading productive lives. Prosthetic arms and artificial limbs can vastly improve the ability of people living with upper limb disabilities to be independent and engage in daily activities.
But prosthetic limbs are expensive, need to be routinely replaced because of wear and tear, and are therefore out of reach for millions of people across the globe.
“Currently-available bionic arms are inaccessible—they cost thousands of dollars, can only be bought in a few developed countries, and must be continuously changed if you’re a young person, as your body is constantly growing,” says Boris, who is the co-founder of eBionics. “We believe that these problems can be solved by approaching the [bionic arm] technology differently.”
The eBionics ‘VenusArm’ is 30 times cheaper than the second cheapest bionic arm in the market. This is because Boris and his team do not charge for shipping or labor, or pay profits to suppliers. The VenusArm, Boris explains passionately, allows anyone with access to a 3D printer to print the bionic arm themselves within just a short hour, using the instructions made available on the eBionics website. The team have also provided options to purchase the individual parts from third-party sellers to assemble the arm themselves.
“Our VenusArm is entirely 3D printed and uses muscle sensors to allow for flexible movement that helps the user in everyday life,” says Boris, explaining that they also used an impression mold to create a universal socket, which means it will fit anyone, even growing children. “We want to make sure that people can get a fully functional bionic arm that is both affordable and available for everyone, regardless of where you are from.”
Bionic arms pick up signals from the user around the same muscles (typically below the elbow) used to move a biological hand. Specially designed sensors pick up electric signals and use these to create hand movement relative to the electrical signal.
In a video, trying the bionic arm for the first time, a young woman from North Macedonia said, “Even on the first day, after only thirty minutes of wearing it, I started feeling it as part of my body.” The young woman is shown using the bionic arm to operate a sewing machine and even to drive a car, stating that she feels like she is in “complete control, now that she has the arm”.
The youngsters behind ‘eBionics’ developed the blueprint of the bionic arm—dubbed VenusArm—at the global Generation Unlimited Youth Challenge which took place in 36 countries, encouraging young people to design entrepreneurial solutions to social challenges.
The Youth Challenge is a true example of a multi-sector partnership initiative—engaging the private sector in mentorship, youth-led organizations in grass-roots outreach, young people in co-creating solutions, and governments in the judging process.
A few months after winning the local competition, eBionics was crowned a global Generation Unlimited Winner—just one of 8 teams across the world to receive further funding of up to $15,000, along with a tailored global incubation programme which is coordinated globally by UNICEF’s Office of Innovation, working with GenU partners and Country Offices.
“Step by step, we are getting closer to our goal—creating value for all people around the world, especially those who need it most” says Boris. “Every idea can bе accomplished if you work hard on it, with the right people around you. Steve Jobs once said that the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do. Throughout our whole experience, we were motivated by this quote and we believe that other talented young people also should!”
“We feel that our story won’t be complete without thanking UNICEF and Foundation Telekom for Macedonia, the supporters of the Generation Unlimited Youth Challenge in North Macedonia, as well as SmartUp - Social Innovation Lab, the implementers of the challenge. Without their help it would've been much harder to succeed,” says Boris.
EBionics’ vision is to create a user-generated sustainable and altruistic social enterprise with a worldwide community of makers, contributors and supporters, third-party partners, and most importantly, a business that provides affordable and reliable 3D printed bionic arms.
The
Generation Unlimited Youth Challenge 2019/20 is co-hosted globally by four Generation Unlimited partners – UNICEF, UNDP, Plan International and the World Organization of the Scout Movement, with support from Irish Aid
A student's low-cost 3D printed prosthetic arm provides tactile feedback
3D printing news News A student’s low-cost 3D printed prosthetic arm provides tactile feedback
Published on March 9, 2020 by Carlota V.
Lorenzo Spreafico, a student at the University of Leeds, has designed a 3D printed prosthetic arm with vibro-tactile feedback, allowing amputees to feel when they are touching something. This kind of device is usually very expensive, but additive manufacturing could lower the price without reducing the effectiveness of the prosthetic device.
At the moment, Lorenzo Spreafico has designed a prototype and is evaluating his device, called T1, at just under €3,500.
3D printed prostheses are often made of plastic and remain quite simple: the primary objective is to help patients in their daily life by offering them a personalised device that they feel comfortable with. Some prosthetic devices integrate electronics to offer other more advanced functionalities. The student from Leeds wanted to add functionality to his 3D printed prosthetic arm, he explains: “There is a huge gap in the development of prostheses: although we are developing extremely advanced technology to simulate human movement and dexterity, there is much less work done when it comes to simulating human touch“.
The final version of the prosthesis
The final version of the low-cost 3D printed prosthetic arm
It is not known which 3D printer Lorenzo used to design the T1 prosthesis, but the process is likely to be Fused Deposition Modeling.
He explains that he integrated pressure sensors at the tip of each finger, each connected to vibrating disc motors located at the stump to warn the wearer of the force they are applying to an object. This pressure simulation process would keep the cost of the device much lower than other myoelectric prosthetic devices.
The vibrations of the T1 can be adjusted by the wearer at the touch of a button – the wearer can also disable this feature entirely. Three gripping modes can be selected: open hand, pinch grip or precision grip. By integrating this tactile feedback, the risk of rejection of the prosthetic arm should decrease since the proprioception (sense of self-movement and body position) increases. Lorenzo concludes: “The lack of tactile feedback in prosthetic arms creates an extremely unrealistic user experience. It reduces precision in movement and grip control, which makes it more difficult for users to perform delicate actions with precision, and makes it more difficult to adapt the grip force to different activities“.
Lorenzo has integrated pressure sensors at the fingertips
Lorenzo says that the final product could cost less than €3,500, an affordable solution for people in need, especially when considering the price of other prosthetic devices made from traditional manufacturing processes. It’s easy to imagine that the wearer will also be able to personalize this according to taste preference, giving a new perspective on disability!
What do you think of this low-cost 3D printed prosthetic arm? Let us know in a comment below or on our Facebook and Twitter pages! Sign up for our free weekly Newsletter, all the latest news in 3D printing straight to your inbox!
$50 3D printed prosthesis vs $42,000 standard prosthesis
hands From war-torn Sudan, where 3D printing is helping crippled residents, to the US on the other side of the world, where 3D printing is helping cut huge medical costs, these stories help shed light on the humanitarian potential of 3D technology.
Not long ago we heard about José Delgado, who was born without a left hand.
At the advanced age of 53, José got his first experience with prostheses. For a year, Jose used a $42,000 myoelectric prosthesis. This device takes signals from the muscles in the forearm and uses the resulting motor data to control the fingers of a mechanical hand that are quite similar to real ones. José was lucky: his health insurance covered the hefty costs of a prosthesis, but many people in similar situations do not have similar financial support.
3D printed Cyborg Beast prosthesis
Jeremy Simon, a doctor and 3D printing enthusiast, decided to meet Jose and print him a Cyborg Beast prosthesis. Cyborg Beast - public domain designs used in the Robohand project. These devices have already "fallen into the hands" of more than 200 people around the world, they are distinguished by versatility, convenience and, most importantly, low cost. With a $50 material cost, 840 of these devices could be printed to reach the $42,000 mark José spent on his myoelectric prosthesis.
Simon himself was somewhat skeptical about comparing an inexpensive 3D printed prosthesis to a mechanical arm for the price of a good car. After all, Delgado's job requires the ability to lift and manipulate various objects on a consistent basis. The prosthesis for $42,000 is quite functional. Will a $50 ABS artificial hand have the slightest chance of competing?
José Delgado demonstrates a 3D printed prosthesis
During the next meeting, while adjusting the device to better interact with the tendons of the patient's hand, Simon was surprised by Jose's claim that a 3D printed hand functions better than an expensive prosthesis. Although ABS plastic is not ideally strong for the task, the prosthesis turned out to be extremely comfortable, and damaged parts are easy to reprint.
Simon is currently helping José Delgado print a new mechanical arm, but this time he intends to use more durable nylon.
Here is a video of José demonstrating both prostheses and explaining the difference: while the 3D printed prosthesis is fully functional, the two fingers on the expensive version are only cosmetic:
Article prepared for 3DToday.ru to the author
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our way from idea to implementation
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on VkontakteA few months ago, our idea for an affordable prosthetic hand was just an idea, an intention. Today we are happy to share our results with you!
How did it all start? The first prosthesis printed using the 3D printer was created in South Africa by Richard Van As. His video went around the world and inspired many people, including us. Having studied the issue of limb prosthetics, we were surprised how difficult it is in our country. Those prostheses that are available perform only a cosmetic function. And those that are functional cost fabulous money and require compliance with certain conditions, in particular, a person reaching a certain age.
Building a team and finding a patient
It was decided by the general council that we would take on a project to create an affordable mechanical hand prosthesis for people of almost any age.
First of all, we needed to find colleagues from different professions - 3D designers , designers, doctors and, of course, find a patient who will try out the first prosthesis created using 3D printing . It cannot be said that it was quick and easy, but the necessary specialists were found. Young engineers from the company 9 joined the project0090 W.E.A.S. Robotics , who work in the field of robotics and are known for their desire to develop this area in Russia, as well as their passion for engineering, which is expressed in their projects . As well as an orthopedic surgeon from the St. Petersburg Institute of Prosthetics, who liked the idea. It was up to the patient. We were approached by several people who could become testers of the prosthesis, but either they were too far away, or their age was too young. We continued to search and found Alexander from Yaroslavl, where we were also advised by an excellent doctor, who later agreed to install a prosthesis.
Thus, we have a fully formed team and a patient.
Work started
Alexander lost his fingers on both hands in an accident, but his wrist joints remained fully functional. The first step was to take the necessary measurements in order for the prosthesis to fit.
Then came the collaborative effort of 3D designers . As a result, we very soon had a ready-made 3D model for printing:
The next stage was perhaps one of the simplest - the individual parts of the prosthesis went to print. Unfortunately, we did not have time to take disassembled photos, as we were eager to put all the parts together as soon as possible and see the almost completely completed prosthesis.
It is worth noting that the final assembly of the prosthesis takes place already on the patient’s arm, and, in addition to the parts printed on a 3D printer, cables or rope, screws and a turbocast are also needed. If everything is clear with cables and cogs, then it is worth mentioning the turbocast separately.
This is a special thermoplastic that, when heated, for example, in hot water, becomes flexible and it is easy to give it the desired shape, after a few minutes it hardens again, and the rest of the prosthesis structure is attached to it. It was sold to us at a discount at company Horse , which manufactures retainers from similar plastics.
Installation of the prosthesis and the first test
We had the most exciting action - the installation and the first test of the prosthesis. Choosing in advance a convenient time for everyone, we went to Yaroslavl and for the first time personally met with the doctor and Alexander. Alexander turned out to be a very cheerful and cheerful person, and the process of installing the prosthesis went under his playful comments.
This short video shows the mechanics of the prosthesis in action: prosthesis iterations. We decided to completely redo the prosthetic hand model and it is almost ready, and by the way, now it looks like this:
What conclusion can be drawn after going from the idea of creating a prosthesis to its implementation? We made sure that the affordable mechanical prosthesis created using 3D printing is more than just an idea, it is a real and tangible help to many people - both children and adults.
