In a small clinic in Kenya, 5 kids just lately took their first steps—once more. Every one wore a custom-made prosthetic leg, completely fitted to their our bodies and designed not in a standard workshop, however by a digital workflow powered by 3D printing.
These new limbs had been the results of a partnership between HP, the Limb Form Basis, and two U.S.-based firms, Macy Orthotics and Prosthetics (O&P) and ABCorp. Collectively, they introduced cutting-edge know-how and compassionate care throughout continents to alter lives.
And now, the staff behind this mission is inviting the world to listen to their story.
On July 29 at 11 AM ET, HP will host a free webinar titled “Life-Altering Prosthetics for Children: A Hearth Chat on Innovation and Compassionate Care.” It’s a behind-the-scenes have a look at how a nonprofit, passionate engineers, and 3D printing got here collectively to offer mobility to kids who may in any other case by no means obtain the assistance they want.
Bridging Innovation
The story started with the Limb Form Basis, a New York-based nonprofit that travels the world serving to kids with limb variations entry prosthetic care. In Kenya, they acknowledged a rising want, not only for prosthetics, but in addition for a extra scalable, reasonably priced, and quicker technique to make them. They discovered an answer in HP’s Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) 3D printing know-how.
As a substitute of counting on conventional fabrication, which may take a very long time and should not all the time work effectively in distant settings, the staff used a totally digital course of. The youngsters had been scanned, then their sockets had been designed digitally at Macy O&P. The components had been printed and completed again within the U.S. utilizing HP’s industrial-grade 3D printers and ABCorp’s manufacturing experience.
The webinar will function Rob Schulman, founding father of the Limb Form Basis, alongside Neil Glazebrook from ABCorp, Paul Macy of Macy O&P—whose staff designed the {custom} sockets—and David Soriano from HP. They’ll share the technical aspect of the undertaking, together with how they shifted to digital design and what it took to coordinate throughout international locations, in addition to speaking concerning the individuals they served.
Why It Issues
Entry to prosthetic care is severely restricted worldwide. Based on the World Well being Group, as few as 3% of individuals in low-income international locations have entry to the assistive merchandise they want, whereas round 90% in high-income international locations do. Globally, roughly 35 to 40 million individuals require prosthetic or orthotic companies, however solely a fraction obtain them.
For youngsters, the boundaries embrace lengthy ready lists, excessive prices, and restricted native experience, which may imply they by no means obtain the mobility aids that will permit them to stroll, run, or go to high school. In some distant or conflict-affected areas, becoming a prosthetic limb can take as much as ten years. That’s why this HP-led undertaking is proving to be a sport changer. Through the use of a totally digital 3D printing workflow, the staff has made it doable to bypass conventional boundaries, dashing up manufacturing, decreasing prices, and delivering tailored prosthetics to kids who would in any other case stay with none machine. It’s a strong instance of how good know-how, mixed with a compassionate mission, can begin to shut one of many world’s widest accessibility gaps.
For those who’re interested in how 3D printing is remodeling healthcare and altering actual lives, you may register for the free webinar right here.
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