3D Printing Technology Brings Prosthetic Devices To Children In Need

Early 3D printing was first made available in the late 1980s and now has many implications in different fields such as medicine. Andiamo, a company from Great Britain, has found a way to produce orthotic and prosthetic devices such as back braces and prosthetic limbs for children with disabilities using 3D printing technology.

There is a lot of need for orthotic support and prosthetic devices for children in developing nations, much so in the underdeveloped ones. Before, it would take a considerably long time for people to get their orthotics and prosthesis because they had to be made specifically for that person. A British couple has founded their own company Andiamo, which is set to revolutionize prosthetics with the use of 3D printing.

The old process of making these support devices casting and molding, which is not only time-consuming but also on the expensive side. However, the use of 3D printing effectively cuts both time and price constraints. "The process that people go through in the Andiamo service is you get 3D scanned, which takes anywhere from 30 to 60 seconds, and that gets a 3D image that's accurate to under a millimeter,"  according to Andiamo co-founder Naveed Parvez.

Following the scanning process, the produced 3D image is "turned into a medical device using a computer edited the design, and then that's sent to a 3D printer, that's fitted and then you're sent away." The entire process can take less than a week compared to the six months it takes for the old method to be completed. This can be especially helpful for children who have limited opportunities because of their disabilities.

According to Xinhua News, Andiamo is planning to open a private clinic sometime in the near future. If this clinic proves to be successful, then they will partner with the United Kingdom's National Health Service to deliver their services to a much wider range of people. They are aiming to serve 1,000 families before 2018 rolls around and 100,000 families before 2021.