3D printing to cope with muscular dystrophy

The twins are now 3D printing experts, as they are constantly designing and 3D printing all sorts of little components and parts to make their own lives easier.

“When I was little, my dad taught me how to make model aircraft out of balsa wood and glue, and my disability took that away from me, but now technology has given that ability back. I can design things on the computer and print them out on my 3D printer and it's fantastic”, Nick explained.

When their disease reached critical stages around the age of 21 – when most of their muscles lost strength and even their lungs were barely useable - the brothers started using their 3D printing skills to help them cope with their disease.

The twins operate their computers through small 3D printed finger devices that have been attached to their desk, to reduce strain on their weakened muscles as much as possible. Various home-made additions to their wheelchairs, to increase muscle support, have also been made at their own initiative. ‘I wanted to adjust how I was sitting in my wheelchair so I designed the little piece to go in the side support bolts,’ Nick says. ‘We measured it up, designed something, 3D printed it and screwed it in and it's great.’

Nick and Chris started their own hacker’s collective MESH, which they envision as a maker’s movement to ‘re-enable’ the disabled. ‘I think a lot (of people with disabilities) don't even know this exists, and they don't know what they can do,’ Nick said. ‘What we want to do is to enable people with disabilities to design and create things for themselves. In the past it was virtually impossible for someone like me to actually make something physical, but now with computers, computer-aided design and 3D printers it's become relatively easy.’

Adapted from: http://bit.ly/1yK6GXm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zl2qe0gLBq8

What about you, do you have any solutions? Please share them with the Patient Innovation community!