1. 3D Printing Makes Thinkers into Doers
In November 2013, Natasha Hope-Simpson lost her left leg in a hit-and-run accident. As you might expect, she had to put her whole life on hold. At the same time, Natasha proved stronger than she had ever imagined. Natasha moved forward with her life through design. After reflection on the prosthetic leg she had been given, she knew it had to be different. As a graduate of the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD), she sought to make a leg that was more personal and one that fit her personality and her anatomy.
It all began in February 2014, when Natasha spoke to a class at which NSCAD Director Gregor Ash happened to be visiting. Natasha discussed her prosthetic design efforts and the challenges of creating this functional, aesthetic personal medical device.
“This became an artistic opportunity to work with figurative sculpture on my own body,” said Natasha. “This is about a negative space on my body and as an artist, I wanted to be able to fill that space with a positive.”
Challenges:
Inspired by Natasha’s drive and ambition, Ash came to us at Thinking Robot Studios with a challenge: to team with Natasha to create a prosthetic design in time for NSCAD’s Maker Symposium within 15 days. We make a living by creating custom orthopedic implants and systems, but I remember thinking that this was going to be a challenge. How on earth were we going to pull this off?
Solutions:
3D printing and scanning was the only way to do this quickly and accurately. In order to get the shape and size of Natasha’s prosthetic leg correct, Ian and Bob took two different scans of Natasha’s existing leg using laser and white light scanning. They processed the scans using Geomagic® Wrap scanning software and converted the data into usable 3D so my business partner, Jourdan Dakov, and I could perform the engineering steps. Using the mesh scan data, we created the prosthetic‘s mechanical and structural components in CAD.
In the meantime, Natasha was trying to work out the aesthetic side of the prosthetic leg. She wanted something as attractive as it was functional, and she had many ideas but little time to develop them. The breakthrough came when she discovered the 3D printed masks of Melissa Ng on the Internet.
“Melissa’s designs were amazing,” said Natasha. “They were perfect. I instantly fell in love.”
So Natasha quickly contacted Melissa in New York City, and just like the rest of us, she was eager to help. “I was deeply moved by her story and was happy to donate my design to the project. I will continue collaborating with Thinking Robot over the next year as they develop a final prosthetic for Natasha,” said Melissa.
Melissa extracted her design data into a usable format and immediately sent it over. At this point, we had three days to apply the design to the mechanical parts before 3D printing was to begin. To say the least, this process was intense. We were adjusting mechanical CAD data and applying the design elements from Melissa. We knew from Mike Fanning and the 3D Systems team in Boston that we only had a few days to get them a printable file.
Benefits:
Seven days after starting the project, and after some long days and nights by our team members, we had a prototype design ready to be 3D printed. We rushed the CAD files to NovaCad.
“Seventeen days was the actual time, from start to finish, to get this project done,” said Mike Fanning. “Scanning, CAD design, production of the parts and resultant fitting. It was incredible to be a part of and we could not have done this without 3D printing from 3D Systems.”
The 3D Systems team printed on the ProJet 7000, a robust SLA printer that delivers highly accurate 3D parts with excellent surface smoothness.
2. Bespoke Prosthetic Fairings
A single thread ties Bespoke’s philosophy, work, goals and methods. “Humans are anything but one-size-fits-all, and we want to recognize that,” say the company’s founders. Simply put, for Bespoke, it’s personal.
Bespoke Products Group at 3D Systems creates a variety of customized medical devices, famously their prosthetic leg fairings, which bring style and aesthetics to otherwise robotic prosthetics. Bespoke Fairings™ are specialized covers for prosthetic limbs that both recreate the body’s form and impart an expression of the patient’s personality. Each fairing can be personalized with patterns, graphics and varying materials, in a sense, redefining the prosthetic as fashion statement and piece of art.
Challenges:
“I wanted to create a leg that had a level of humanity,” said Scott Summit, 3D Systems’ Director of Technology for Bespoke Products. “It’s unfortunate that people have had a product that’s such a major part of their lives that was so under-designed.” So he creates each fairing to be a beautiful, unique expression, each one representing Bespoke’s goal to keep it personal.
Solutions:
Likewise, the emphasis on personalized solutions echoes throughout 3D Systems’ deep commitment healthcare, as we help providers of all specialties to create more patient-specific implants and drill guides, work faster and safer, and improve patient outcomes. Such work gels so perfectly 3D technology, because the power of 3D scanning and 3D printing allows medical designers like Summit to create accurate, complex physical forms that can’t be manufactured any other way.
The process for building each fairing begins by taking a scan of both the patient’s “sound side” leg and the prosthetic leg. Designers can then superimpose the sound side leg over the prosthetic leg and use this as the basis for the final design to and to restore overall body symmetry.
After scanning, the customer comes in to direct the entire design process. He or she can choose from a number of existing templates, or create something completely unique. The key is to capture the wearer’s personality, and to make them feel and look great. In the past fairings have been adorned with leather, metal plating, wood inlays, tattoos, decorative cut-outs and patterns, graphics and more.
Benefits:
The beauty of the process is that, with 3D printing from 3D Systems, designs aren’t ever curbed by manufacturing challenges. Rather, personalization comes full circle because the customer can have exactly what they want, regardless of geometry. So after the final design is 3D printed, designers apply additional materials, finish graphics and perfect the chosen finish. The final fairing is lightweight, durable, and in some cases dishwasher safe.
For many of the people who have long since felt incomplete or even bored by their generic prosthetic leg, this whole process is a real journey of empowerment. Deborah, a proud Bespoke customer who lost her leg in a motorcycle accident, chooses one of her four fairings every day, depending on her attire and mood. She wears skirts at every opportunity and sees her fairings as a way to show off her prosthetic rather than hiding it. Those around her have certainly taken notice, as reactions have changed from uncomfortable curiosity to admiration. People now use words like “cool” and “sexy” to describe her leg.