Custom 3D printed prosthetics

In 2013, Natasha was injured in a hit-and-run accident and lost part of her left leg below the knee. She wasn’t happy with her prosthesis visual.

“I wanted my symmetry back, I wanted something that flowed the design of my body and my natural design,” said Simpson. Rather than seeing her amputation has a disability, she chose to see it as a “negative space” that was now a part of her body, and that through her artistic vision, she could actively re-design. “It was very therapeutic for me.”

Simpson then connected with Gregor Ash, Director of the Institute for Applied Creativity at NSCAD, Michael Fanning, CEO of 3D Systems partner NovaCAD, and Kendall Joudrie, CEO of Thinking Robot Studios, an up and coming robotic design studio also from Nova Scotia. The team was given a veritable challenge: to custom engineer a leg that fit within just two weeks.

Once she was happy with the design, it was time to turn it into something functional. The engineering interns stepped up to help create an attachment system to attach the re-designed covers to the actual prosthetic. Next came the 3D printing.

Since the success of their prototype and final model, Simpson and Thinking Studios have been working to take their concept to market, with the aim of providing a range of prosthetics and prosthetic fairings to a mass audience, but customize to each person’s individual needs. Their goal is to sell it directly to the consumer, reducing costs and improving accessibility. Though no price has been mentioned, they do hope to bring their product to market soon.

Adapted from: http://bit.ly/2eUMeMB

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l200iQJFgww