3D-printed exoskeleton gives a little girl use of her arms (video)

VB ^ | August 3, 2012 3:56 PM | Sean Ludwig

[Vince Ferrer]

There is a lot of promise in 3D printers being made more affordable so that many can experiment, but a lot of the uses so far have been pretty ordinary in my opinion. This one is very innovative because it can play to the strengths of the technology. A baseline product can be downloaded and adjusted to an individual, and then printed much easier and cheaper than current specialized, low volume medical devices.

Video

[expat_panama]

Another example of a tremendous US tech breakthrough.  What's most probably going to happen next is that design licenses will be  sold overseas at exorbitant prices, American's will get richer, the so-called 'trade deficit' will increase, and all will be better off.

Even if some complain.

[Fred Hayek]

It looks like elastic bands are used to provide the tension on the exoskeleton joints. Can elastic bands of lower strength be used as the patient progresses? This has excellent rehab potential.

[MS.BEHAVIN]

What a beautiful, precious child!
God Bless all who made this possible for her!
Thanks for the great post!

[Moonman62]

There is a lot of promise in 3D printers being made more affordable so that many can experiment,

Some are working on printing human organs. I'm just blown away by what people outside of politics are able to accomplish.

[mvpel]

I remember seeing early 3D printers at the Autofact conference in Detroit in maybe 1987. The basic principles are essentially identical, but the key here is the affordability. Nice to see this story.

[hulagirl]

Wait a minute—didn’t the government invent this? Doesn’t all virtuous innovation come out of Washington?

[Vince Ferrer]

I remember seeing early 3D printers at the Autofact conference in Detroit in maybe 1987. The basic principles are essentially identical, but the key here is the affordability. Nice to see this story.

Affordability and the materials used in the printing process. For many years these printers used materials where the part just didn't have the strength to be anything but a non functional prototype. But these printers are working with materials that have enough strength to make the printed part a functional end part. Metal parts are about 30% the strength of cast parts, which is good enough for a lot of uses, and much research is being done. It will keep improving considerably.

[SuziQ]

My 22 yr old son has been talking about this technology for years. He’s fascinated by it!

[Stegall Tx]

I wonder how they got around the FDA required testing. Is it because this is a one-off piece or is there another loophole? I remember the standing wheelchair invented by Dean Kamen and how I wished an uncle of mine could have had access to one. But the FDA testing requirements pushed the cost of the chair out the range of most consumers.

[JRandomFreeper]

Maybe they are just ignoring the feds. I know I would in a case like this.

Maybe ignore with extreme prejudice.

/johnny

[TsonicTsunami08]

Wonderful for the child and her family.

They didn’t build that!
Someone else made that happen /s

[Vince Ferrer]

My 22 yr old son has been talking about this technology for years. He’s fascinated by it!

There are full units at about $1500-$2000 now. Makerbot sells kits for less than that. He can get one and experiment himself.

[TsonicTsunami08]

FUBO

[exit82]

A primer on 3D printing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aghzpO_UZE&feature=related

How to create a working tool—a wrench—on a #D printer.

[JLS]

Great story and just the type of advance that the Dims will block with government health care.

[Bobalu]

The University of Glasgow just published a paper detailing how to use specialized 3D printers to manufacture pharmaceuticals.

Regulate that if you can...lol

(I read so much strange stuff I have time for little else anymore :-)

[MHGinTN]

I want an exoskeleton!

[beaversmom]

Beautiful little girl.

[TXnMA]

Wow! IMHO, anyone who can watch that without smiling has something terribly wrong with their character...

What a blessing for a sweet, beautiful little girl!