The images made headlines around the world in late 2018. David Mzee, who had been left paralyzed by a partial spinal cord injury suffered in a sports accident, got up from his wheelchair and began to walk with the help of a walker. This was the first proof that Courtine and Bloch’s system – which uses electrical stimulation to reactivate spinal neurons – could work effectively in patients.<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4wUADfnCMdc?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0&amp;enablejsapi=1&amp;origin=https://www.wevolver.com" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" style="width: 767px; height: 437px;"></iframe>Fast forward three years, and a new milestone has just been reached. The research team led by both Courtine, a professor at EPFL, and Bloch, a professor and neurosurgeon at CHUV, has enhanced their system with more sophisticated implants controlled by artificial-intelligence software. These implants can stimulate the region of the spinal cord that activates the trunk and leg muscles. Thanks to this new technology, three patients with complete spinal cord injury were able to walk again outside the lab. “Our stimulation algorithms are still based on imitating nature,” says Courtine. “And our new, soft implanted leads are designed to be placed underneath the vertebrae, directly on the spinal cord. They can modulate the neurons regulating specific muscle groups. By controlling these implants, we can activate the spinal cord like the brain would do naturally to have the patient stand, walk, swim or ride a bike, for example.”<h2>Activating motor sequences at the push of a button</h2>On a cold, snowy day last December, Michel Roccati – an Italian man who became paralyzed after a motorcycle accident four years earlier – braved the icy wind to try out the system outdoors, in central Lausanne. He had recently undergone the surgical procedure in which Bloch placed the new, implanted lead on his spinal cord. Scientists from the Courtine and Bloch’s .NeuroRestore research center were with him, helping to prepare the demonstration. They attached two small remote controls to Michel’s walker and connected them wirelessly to a tablet that forwards the signals to a pacemaker in Michel’s abdomen. The pacemaker in turn relays the signals to the implanted spinal lead that stimulates specific neurons, causing Michel to move. When he was ready, Michel grasped the walker and set off. He pressed the button on the right side of the walker with the firm intention of taking a step forward with his left leg. His left foot rose like magic and fell to the ground a few centimeters ahead. He then did the same thing with the button on his left side, and his right foot moved forward. He was walking! “The first few steps were incredible – a dream come true!” he says. “I’ve been through some pretty intense training in the past few months, and I’ve set myself a series of goals. For instance, I can now go up and down stairs, and I hope to be able to walk one kilometer by this spring.”<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1644544468002-ezgif-5-e5d9eb5e93.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Michel Roccati stands up and walks in Lausanne. © EPFL / Alain Herzog 2021&nbsp;Two other patients have also successfully tested the new system, which is described in an <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-021-01663-5" rel="noopener" target="_blank">article appearing today in Nature Medicine</a>. “Our breakthrough here is the longer, wider implanted leads with electrodes arranged in a way that corresponds exactly to the spinal nerve roots,” says Bloch. “That gives us precise control over the neurons regulating specific muscles.” Ultimately, it allows for greater selectivity and accuracy in controlling the motor sequences for a given activity.<h2>One day is all it takes</h2>Extensive training is obviously necessary for patients to get comfortable using the device. But the pace and scope of rehabilitation is amazing. “All three patients were able to stand, walk, pedal, swim and control their torso movements in just one day, after their implants were activated!” says Courtine. “That’s thanks to the specific stimulation programs we wrote for each type of activity. Patients can select the desired activity on the tablet, and the corresponding protocols are relayed to the pacemaker in the abdomen.”<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1644544498412-ezgif-5-2264b1550c.jpg" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Thanks to his implant, Michel Roccati can now stand to enjoy a drink. © EPFL / Alain Herzog 2021&nbsp;While the progress achievable in a single day is astonishing, the gains after several months are even more impressive. The three patients followed a training regimen based on the stimulation programs and were able to regain muscle mass, move around more independently, and take part in social activities like having a drink standing at a bar. What’s more, because the technology is miniaturized, the patients can perform their training exercises outdoors and not only inside a lab.“This study further demonstrates the benefits of our approach,” says Courtine. “We’re now working with <a href="http://onwd.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">ONWARD Medical</a>, which recently listed on Euronext, to turn our discoveries into genuine treatments that can improve the lives of thousands of people around the world.”<hr>ReferencesActivity-dependent spinal cord neuromodulation rapidly restores trunk and leg motor functions after complete paralysis, Nature Medicine, February 7 2022, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-021-01663-5

 Michel Roccati stands up and walks in Lausanne. © EPFL / Alain Herzog 2021

A system developed by Grégoire Courtine and Jocelyne Bloch now enables patients with a complete spinal cord injury to stand, walk and even perform recreational activities like swimming, cycling and canoeing. 

New implant offers promise for the paralyzed

In this episode, we reflect on some of our favorite topics from 2021 and discuss the goals for the podcast in 2022. As always, you can find these and other interesting &amp; impactful engineering articles on Wevolver.com.&nbsp;<iframe height="200px" width="100%" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" seamless="" src="https://player.simplecast.com/62d15047-acbe-446a-9460-0396f1e1664c?dark=false" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true"></iframe> <hr>This podcast is sponsored by <a href="https://www2.mouser.com/" id="isPasted" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mouser Electronics</a>.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjQxMzY4NzMzMDc3LU1vdXNlci1zcG9uc29yLTEtYS5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><hr><h3 id="isPasted">EPISODE NOTES</h3>(2:40) -&nbsp;<a href="https://the-next-byte-wevolver.simplecast.com/episodes/2-boom-brings-back-supersonic-using-ai-to-beat-tb-5g-is-messing-up-weather-forecasts" target="_blank">Episode 2</a> - Boom – The Future of Supersonic Flight(6:05) -&nbsp;<a href="https://the-next-byte-wevolver.simplecast.com/episodes/8-eliminating-emissions-with-iot-shapeshifting-fabrics-fuel-cell-flight" target="_blank">Episode 8</a> - Eliminating Emission Inspections Via IoT(10:09) -&nbsp;<a href="https://the-next-byte-wevolver.simplecast.com/episodes/28-ai-policing-social-media-marsquakes-preventing-lead-poisoning-from-solar-panels" target="_blank">Episode 28</a> - Marsquakes Shed Light On The Red Planet’s Origins(13:40) -&nbsp;<a href="https://the-next-byte-wevolver.simplecast.com/episodes/39-the-ev-youll-never-have-to-charge" target="_blank">Episode 39</a> -&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/the-3d-printed-hypercar-that-beat-the-best" target="_blank">The 3D Printed Car That Beat The Best</a>(16:45) -&nbsp;<a href="https://the-next-byte-wevolver.simplecast.com/episodes/35-the-shrimp-thatll-enable-super-robots" target="_blank">Episode 35</a> - Robot Mimics Mantis Shrimp(20:00) -&nbsp;<a href="https://the-next-byte-wevolver.simplecast.com/episodes/42-worlds-most-advanced-prosthetics" target="_blank">Episode 42</a> -&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/walking-on-the-worlds-most-advanced-prosthetics-in-the-jungles-of-guatemala" target="_blank">World’s Most Advanced Prosthetics</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<hr>About the podcast:Every day, some of the most innovative universities, companies, and individual technology developers share their knowledge on Wevolver. To ensure we can also provide this knowledge for the growing group of podcast listeners, we started a collaboration with two young engineers, Daniel Scott Mitchell &amp; Farbod Moghaddam who discuss the most interesting content in this podcast series.&nbsp;To learn more about this show, please visit the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte" target="_blank">shows page</a>. By following the page, you will get automatic updates by email when a new show is published.Be sure to give us a follow and review on&nbsp;<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/nl/podcast/the-next-byte/id1548255861?l=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Apple</a> podcasts,&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6lPPsRtegnivsRUEsQ09R7?si=IPMiah7xT_apJtPjqvXMlA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Spotify</a>, and most of your favorite podcast platforms!Take a few seconds to leave us a review. It really helps!&nbsp;<a href="https://apple.co/2RIsbZ2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://apple.co/2RIsbZ2</a>If you do it and send us proof, we’ll give you a shoutout on the show.

In this episode, we reflect on some of our favorite topics from 2021 and discuss the goals for the podcast in 2022.

Podcast: Recapping 2021

In this episode, we talk about a system developed by MIT researchers to optimize new material development and LifeNabled - a non-profit organization - that leverages 3D printing technology and generative design to develop cost-effective, bespoke prosthetics. As always, you can find these and other interesting &amp; impactful engineering articles on Wevolver.com.<iframe height="200px" width="100%" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" seamless="" src="https://player.simplecast.com/1c1300b7-8e1f-4179-8389-075cca962518?dark=false" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-gtm-yt-inspected-12="true"></iframe>&nbsp;<hr>This podcast is sponsored by <a href="https://www2.mouser.com/" id="isPasted" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mouser Electronics</a>. &nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjM1ODQyMzM0MjkzLU1vdXNlci1zcG9uc29yLTEtYS5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><hr><h3 id="isPasted">EPISODE NOTES</h3>(1:11) - &nbsp;Accelerating New Material Discovery 🔬⚗️(11:40) -&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/article/walking-on-the-worlds-most-advanced-prosthetics-in-the-jungles-of-guatemala" target="_blank">World’s Most Advanced Prosthetics 🦾🦿</a>Episode 42 was brought to you by Mouser Electronics, Farbod &amp; Daniel’s favorite electronics distributor. Click <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sjhl3UgbWxI" target="_blank">here&nbsp;</a>to learn more about Mouser's 3D printed car project hosted by Grant Imahara.<hr>About the podcast:Every day, some of the most innovative universities, companies, and individual technology developers share their knowledge on Wevolver. To ensure we can also provide this knowledge for the growing group of podcast listeners, we started a collaboration with two young engineers, Daniel Scott Mitchell &amp; Farbod Moghaddam who discuss the most interesting content in this podcast series.&nbsp;To learn more about this show, please visit the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte" target="_blank">shows page</a>. By following the page, you will get automatic updates by email when a new show is published.Be sure to give us a follow and review on&nbsp;<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/nl/podcast/the-next-byte/id1548255861?l=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Apple</a> podcasts,&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6lPPsRtegnivsRUEsQ09R7?si=IPMiah7xT_apJtPjqvXMlA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Spotify</a>, and most of your favorite podcast platforms!Take a few seconds to leave us a review. It really helps!&nbsp;<a href="https://apple.co/2RIsbZ2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://apple.co/2RIsbZ2</a>if you do it and send us proof, we’ll give you a shoutout on the show.

In this episode, we talk about a system developed by MIT researchers to optimize new material development and LifeNabled - a non-profit organization - that leverages 3D printing technology and generative design to develop cost-effective, bespoke prosthetics. 

Podcast: World's Most Advanced Prosthetics

This article was discussed in our <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte&source=gmail&ust=1640817319915000&usg=AOvVaw2nPRdRwJrXSYYeM9RCFu5x" href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte" id="isPasted" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Next Byte podcast</a>.&nbsp;<iframe height="200px" width="100%" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" seamless="" src="https://player.simplecast.com/1c1300b7-8e1f-4179-8389-075cca962518?dark=false" class="fr-draggable"></iframe>The full article will continue below.<hr><h2 id="isPasted">Background</h2>Brent Wright is a Certified Prosthetist and Orthotist. Together with his wife, Meredith Wright, they co-founded <a href="https://lifenabled.org/" target="_blank">LifeNabaled</a>, a non-profit provider of prosthetic solutions for the developing world, based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA.Brent and his team are changing the lives of amputees in northern Guatemala who do not have the means to afford prosthetic care. Their bi-yearly clinics have treated hundreds of patients over the past 15 years.<div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjM0ODAxNzg5NTQyLUxpZmVOYWJsZWQtblRvcG9sb2d5LUNTLTFfSG9zcGl0YWwuanBnIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Hospital Shalom is the only facility that provides prosthetics care to patients of the Petén region in northern Guatemala.&nbsp;</div>However, fabricating prostheses is a highly technical job. Evaluating, manufacturing, and fitting prostheses to the 30-50 patients during the week-long clinics took a physical toll on Brent and his team of volunteers.For their latest clinic, Brent and his team applied their years of experience in prostheses fabrication and additive manufacturing to develop a fully digital workflow. In this case study, we walk you through the steps they followed — from 3D scanning to design and manufacture — to create custom, 3D printed prosthetic sockets based on patient data in a cost-effective manner.<blockquote>“People who could not possibly afford a prosthesis now have the best device in the world. Without nTopology, none of this would be possible”<cite>Brent Wright, Co-Founder and Clinical Director at LifeNabled</cite></blockquote><h2>Traditional Vs. Digital Fabrication of Prostheses</h2>Traditional fabrication of prostheses is a laborious process. Since each socket needs to offer a custom-made fit for each patient, the fabrication is entirely manual. Typically, there are three steps involved in the process:<ul><li>First, the Prosthetist takes a cast of the amputee’s missing extremity during patient evaluation.</li><li>Then, they use the cast to create a custom mold to thermoform the socket. The socket is connected to off-the-shelf components to manufacture the prosthesis.</li><li>Finally, the Prosthetist fits the prosthetic device to the patient and makes the necessary adjustments to ensure a good fit.</li></ul><div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjM0ODAxODE3MzE0LUxpZmVOYWJsZWQtblRvcG9sb2d5LUNTLTJfUHJvY2Vzcy5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Manual fabrication of prostheses is a time-consuming, expertise-intensive, and laborious process.&nbsp;</div>Brent’s vision is to fully digitize the design and manufacturing steps. These steps are the most expertise-demanding phases of the prostheses fabrication process. At the same time, his team can train locals (or guide them through video calls) to perform the evaluation and fitting steps, eliminating the need for an expert to be present in the remote location.As a proof of concept, the team cut the cord to traditional manufacturing in the last clinic and followed a fully digital process. By digitizing the entire workflow, they can focus on making the process scalable and as cost-effective as possible.Here’s an overview of the new digital workflow:<ul><li>First, two team members flew to Guatemala to take 3D scans. In just two days, they were able to evaluate 35 amputees.</li><li>Then, over the next two weeks, Brent designed and customized each device and manufactured the sockets using HP’s MJF 3D printing technology.</li><li>Finally, the team returned to Guatemala a month later to deliver the devices and fit them to the patients.</li></ul><div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjM0ODAxODQyODc3LUxpZmVOYWJsZWQtblRvcG9sb2d5LUNTLTNfRGlnaXRhbC1GYWJyaWNhdGlvbi5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Digital fabrication of prostheses is streamlined. First, a 3D scan of the patient is taken (left) and then the custom socket and inner lining can be 3D printed from a digital design (right).&nbsp;</div>The results were astounding! All patients left the clinic walking on the most advanced prosthesis in the world. Moreover, the team achieved this result with a fraction of the effort. “We worked hard during that time, but we worked smart, and we were able to easily take the scans we needed so that when we came back, we were more efficient and valuable,” Brent Wright mentioned.<h2>Flexible 3D Printed Inner Liners</h2>The inner liner is an essential part of the prosthesis. The socket must be comfortable to the wearer while working or during prolonged hours of use. Moreover, it has to be breathable to ensure good hygiene. “We need to make sure that the prosthesis breathes, especially in the jungles of Guatemala,” mentioned Brent.However, traditional gel-like inner liners are not very breathable, cost more than $160, and have a limited life span of only 3 to 6 months in the tropical climates of Guatemala. This cost is prohibitively expensive for the local people who live on $2 to $3 a day.Brent’s team wanted to replace the expensive liners with knitted socks. Socks are very affordable, breathable, easily customizable, and washable. To ensure comfort, the team turned to 3D printed foams to design a flexible inner socket liner.<div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjM0ODAxODY1MzY4LUxpZmVOYWJsZWQtblRvcG9sb2d5LUNTLTRfblRvcC1PdmVydmlldy5qcGciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">The final design of one of the 30+ custom-made flexible inner linings — designed in nTopology&nbsp;</div>3D printed foams are flexible <a href="https://ntopology.com/lattice-structures/" target="_blank">lattice structures</a> that imitate the properties of traditional foams. They are manufactured from an elastic material like TPU and offer additional benefits over conventional foams.For example, their properties can be tuned (from soft foam to stiff plastic) according to the physiology or preferences of the patient. This effect can be achieved by closely controlling the design input parameters of the lattice, such as beam thickness and porosity, using advanced <a href="https://ntopology.com/ntopology-software/" target="_blank">engineering design software</a> like nTopology.<h2>From 3D Scan to Manufacturing</h2>Even after the team has determined the 3D printed foam design parameters to achieve the desired cushioning, applying it to 30+ custom socket designs would be a challenge. Without nTopology, this step would be a “brutal process” according to Brent. The legacy software he was using prior to nTopology would often crush or take hours to generate a result.<blockquote>“Designing custom flexible inner liners was going to be a challenging task if we would do it in any other software other than nTopology. Once the workflow was done, all I had to do was to swap out meshes. The process ran over and over again.”<cite>Brent Wright, Co-Founder and Clinical Director at LifeNabled</cite></blockquote>The workflow is semi-automated and straightforward to implement. Here’s the overview:<ul><li>Using the mesh of the patient’s 3D scan data as input, they first generated a shell with variable thickness.</li><li>They then used nTopology’s latticing blocks to create a flexible inner liner that provided the necessary level of cushioning.</li><li>To repeat the process and generate a new design, they only had to swap in a new input mesh with 3D scan data from another patient.</li></ul>With nTopology’s reusable workflows, the team saved more than a whole day of error-prone computational processing during the design phase and produced higher-quality and error-free results.<div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjM0ODAxODkwNzE2LUxpZmVOYWJsZWQtblRvcG9sb2d5LUNTLTVfblRvcC1Qcm9jZXNzLmpwZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Overview of the design process in nTopology — from importing a 3D scan mesh to exporting a manufacturing-ready 3MF mesh file&nbsp;</div>For manufacturing, the team opted for HP’s Multi Jet Fusion 3D printing process in TPU. This process and material combination is excellent for manufacturing flexible lattice structures with variable thickness for padding. TPU is also very durable, making it an ideal option for the jungle of Guatemala.Overall, this digital process saved the team 2-3 days of fabrication and replaced a laborious manual step with streamlined digital manufacturing.<h2>Changing Lives</h2>Beyond the technological achievements, this is a human story. There is little to no access to prosthetic care in these regions of Guatemala. Since the vast majority of these amputees live under a few dollars a day, affording a prosthesis is simply not an option.<div class="fr-img-space-wrap"><img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjM0ODAxOTEzNzI3LUxpZmVOYWJsZWQtblRvcG9sb2d5LUNTLTZfUGF0aWVudHMuanBnIiwiZWRpdHMiOnsicmVzaXplIjp7IndpZHRoIjo5NTAsImZpdCI6ImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" style="width: 766px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib">Three of the 30+ patients fitted with their new 3D printed prosthetic devices.&nbsp;</div>Because Brent’s team has been doing these clinics for so long, they have seen how a prosthesis can change a patient’s life.For example, 15 years ago, they started treating a young child when he was only three years old. Due to his condition, all four extremities were drastically affected by either amputation or congenital defects.Without the prostheses, he would be destined to a life of poverty and begging on the streets. Instead, the young man is now going to accounting school to become an accountant, and he will be able to provide for his family.<h2>The Next Steps</h2>Brent’s goal is to create a global network of prosthetic device providers for the developing world. With digital manufacturing and engineering design tools like nTopology, this dream is achievable.<blockquote>“There are millions of people that need prostheses worldwide. It’s a team effort to reach all of them. This is a human story. This is not a story of how we get a profit out of humans. It is a story of how we get people walking.”<cite>Brent Wright, Co-Founder and Clinical Director at LifeNabled</cite></blockquote>There are multiple industrial-grade 3D printing systems located worldwide (even in developing countries) that could be leveraged to manufacture the needed prosthetic devices. Local physicians can be trained through video calls to evaluate the patient and fit the prostheses. As for the design of the device, this can be generated using the automated processes that Brent’s team has developed.From a technical perspective, Brent continues to refine his designs to make them even more cost-effective. For example, his team is currently creating lighter socket ribs with a simulation-driven geometry using a <a href="https://ntopology.com/field-driven-design/" target="_blank">field-driven design</a> approach.<hr>This case study was first published on the <a href="https://ntopology.com/case-studies/3d-printed-prosthetics-guatemala/" id="isPasted" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">nTopology blog</a>.

LifeNabled volunteers and designers created a fully digital workflow to produce custom 3D printed prosthetic sockets with flexible inner liners. Now, 35 patients in the jungle of Guatemala are walking on the most advanced prosthetic and orthotic devices in the world.

Walking on the World's Most Advanced Prosthetics in the Jungles of Guatemala

In this episode, we talk about a new machine learning model developed by NIST to predict flashover in burning buildings and protect firefighters, NASA’s new ultrasonic additive manufacturing approach, and an affordable, high performance athletic prosthetic. As always, you can find these and other interesting &amp; impactful engineering articles on Wevolver.com. &nbsp;<iframe height="200px" width="100%" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" seamless="" src="https://player.simplecast.com/a01098f8-0af9-4bd1-8e1a-a610a826ab9c?dark=false" class="fr-draggable" data-lf-form-tracking-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-yt-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true" data-lf-vimeo-playback-inspected-kn9eq4roawkarlvp="true"></iframe> <h3>EPISODE NOTES</h3>Take a few seconds to leave us a review. It really helps!&nbsp;<a href="https://apple.co/2RIsbZ2" target="_blank">https://apple.co/2RIsbZ2</a> if you do it and send us proof, we’ll give you a shoutout on the show.(0:50) - AI To Save Firefighter Lives:&nbsp;The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has developed a machine learning model that can analyze the temperature patterns in a burning building using smoke detectors and extrapolate potential areas where flashover can occur.(10:00) - NASA’s New Additive Manufacturing Approach:&nbsp;Heat exchangers are critical for spacecraft operations but they are prone to failure since they are traditionally composed of multiple parts that are joined together. Ultrasonic additive manufacturing (UAM) promises a reliable way to create complex parts composed of dissimilar metals as a single piece without compromising material properties. Here’s a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5s0J-7W4i6s" target="_blank">quick video</a> from Fibrosnic - the subcontractor that brought this capability to NASA - which displays the UAM process.(16:25) - Plug &amp; Play Prosthetics:&nbsp;Levitate was founded by an amputee who wanted an athletic prosthetic without having to pay the $8,000-$16,000 price tag of one; so, naturally, he decided to build one himself with the help of a talented composite engineer at the Technical University of Denmark that can be used with an existing sleeve thus significantly reducing the overall costs.--About the podcast:Every day, some of the most innovative universities, companies, and individual technology developers share their knowledge on Wevolver. To ensure we can also provide this knowledge for the growing group of podcast listeners, we started a collaboration with two young engineers, Daniel Scott Mitchell &amp; Farbod Moghaddam who discuss the most interesting content in this podcast series.&nbsp;To learn more about this show, please visit the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wevolver.com/profile/the.next.byte" target="_blank">shows page</a>. By following the page, you will get automatic updates by email when a new show is published.Be sure to give us a follow and review on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/nl/podcast/the-next-byte/id1548255861?l=en" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Apple</a> podcasts, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/6lPPsRtegnivsRUEsQ09R7?si=IPMiah7xT_apJtPjqvXMlA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Spotify</a>, and most of your favorite podcast platforms!

In this episode, we talk about a new machine learning model developed by NIST to predict flashover in burning buildings and protect firefighters, NASA’s new ultrasonic additive manufacturing approach, and an affordable, high performance athletic prosthetic.

Podcast: AI Rescues Firefighters, NASA Prints Spacecraft Parts, Plug & Play Prosthetics

"I think a hero is an ordinary individual who finds strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles."These are Christopher Reeve's words. The iconic actor portrayed Superman in the 1978 blockbuster and its three later sequels. Reeve himself had to endure such obstacles towards the end of his life after becoming paralyzed from the shoulders down following a horse-riding accident.Today, as life imitates art, a combination of adversity and technology creates the next generation superheroes. Like Limbitless Solutions, a non-profit organization spun-off from the University of Central Florida. The team of now former students is developing technology that empowers children with limb differences.Amongst a range of accessibility solutions, the company creates personalized 3D printed prosthetic 'bionic' arms. Customized to resemble popular superhero bodysuits from movies and video games, the prosthetic dramatically improve the wearer's life quality.<h2>Advanced electronics</h2>To make the limb work, non-invasive electromyographic (EMG) sensors pick up signals generated by muscle movements in the child's arm. The sensors are stickers placed on the upper arm above muscle groups that move when flexed. When an EMG signal is detected, the bionic arm actuates. Below this is a socket to hold the prosthetic in place, matched to the individual child, and it fits regardless of whether or not the elbow is present. The forearm section of the bionic arm contains a battery pack that powers the motors controlling the multi-gesture movements.The hand unit contains the core electronics and motors for the fine control of the individual fingers. This unit includes an Insight SiP ISP1507-AX RF module based on Nordic Semiconductor's nRF52832 SoC. It enables the bionic limb to be set-up, adjusted, and monitored wirelessly via an iOS or Android partner app. For example, by configuring the app, you can determine the degree of muscle-flexing required to generate a particular force in the fingers. The app also provides easy access to status information such as the battery level.<h2>Practice makes perfect</h2>Learning to use a new arm takes practice; determining the various thresholds of muscle strength, for example, is difficult. So to make it fun and engaging, Limbitless Solutions has gamified the process. The Nordic-powered Insight SiP module acts as the Bluetooth LE wireless controller for a computer- or tablet-based game. The games take a classic level-based approach, starting with simple gestures such as opening and closing the hand and then unlocking additional, more complex manipulations as each level is completed.In addition to the looking part, the prosthetic arm must be comfortable, lightweight, and easy to use. The miniaturized eight by eight by 1 mm module is suitable for this purpose as it is for any other space-constrained application. Meanwhile, the Bluetooth LE connectivity allows parents to easily calibrate and adjust the arm from their smartphone, using a wireless technology they readily understand.<h2>Affordable technology</h2>Cosmetically realistic myoelectric hands that open and close can cost $20,000 to $30,000 or even more, while a neuroprosthetic arm may cost as much as $100,000. By combining cost-effective 3D printing with affordable electronics and wireless technology, the company believes it can reduce production cost to as little as $5000 per bionic arm. Essential if the technology is to become widespread as children outgrow prosthetics quickly.As a natural next step, the company has expanded its vision to support adults with limb differences—particularly veterans and first responders—of which there are unfortunately many in the United States. According to the Amputee Coalition, nearly two million people live with limb loss in the U.S. Approximately 185,000 amputations take place each year, a number expected to double by 2050.<h2>Project expansion</h2>Through the process of a clinical trial, Limbitless Solutions has so far gifted 40 bionic arms to 36 children and teenagers. By expanding its R&amp;D and manufacturing capabilities soon, the company hopes to increase to 100 through gifts and donations. If successful, the project could give families and children hope worldwide and create thousands of more superheroes in the process.<hr>This article was first published on Nordic's&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.nordicsemi.com/getconnected" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://blog.nordicsemi.com/getconnected?utm_campaign=2021%20wevolver" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Get Connected Blog</a>.

By combining cost-effective 3D printing with affordable electronics and wireless technology, new accessibility solutions empower children with limb differences.

Smart limbs make heroes by design

With the reusable workflows in nTop Platform and FDM 3D printing, industrial designers are able to rapidly iterate and prototype the design of functional parts. This blog highlights a use case for animal prosthetics and points to how this can be done in other cases such as designing a foot for an amputee so they can rock climb.Industrial design is an incredible discipline combining the perspectives of art, engineering, business, and even science all in one. It is these perspectives that any product requires to be successful. If a product does not look good, it will not sell. If the product doesn’t function well, it will not sell. If a product does not solve a specific problem at the right cost, it will not sell. It is the role of the industrial designer to balance these elements in the conceptualization and execution of a new product, for the purpose of developing a product that meets the requirements beyond just the needs of a user.&nbsp;At <a href="https://www.divedesignco.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">DiveDesign</a>, we develop products with the holistic approach of an industrial designer at the forefront, with an emphasis on leveraging the latest in technologies to bring our clients even further, faster. It’s this methodology that reshapes industries as so much must be taken into account to change perceptions and enable change.&nbsp;In our constant pursuit of the latest and greatest, we’ve begun incorporating nTopology into our workflows. Especially for the purpose of designing end-use 3D printed parts for applications that do not require mass manufacturing, but smaller-scale production that was previously inaccessible to most. With the rise of additive manufacturing, low run production of highly useable parts at an affordable cost is finally possible. There is a huge window of opportunity for parts that could not be made previously as minimum order quantities required for production were simply too high, or the parts were too complex for conventional processes. Our work with <a href="https://bionicpets.org/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Bionic Pets</a> is a great example of this.&nbsp;Bionic Pets is a leader in custom animal prosthetics for animals of all kinds, especially dogs. Their founder Derrick Campana has worked on animals ranging from elephants to birds and everything in-between. However, everything they make is done entirely by hand through Derrick’s incredibly skilled craftsmanship. While this works very well in most cases, prosthetics like the full limb replacement for dogs he offers takes up to 15 hours to fabricate. This type of prostheses is incredibly challenging and time-consuming to make by hand, but in high demand as thousands of dogs have a front limb removed every year due to trauma or cancer. Without a prosthesis, the remaining front limb deteriorates much faster due to the unnatural weight distribution and increased strain. In many cases, when a dog loses mobility due to the deterioration of the remaining limb, the dog is sadly put down.Due to how labor-intensive this design was to make, Derrick had to turn down many requests. So, we stepped in to help. We were able to re-evaluate the process of constructing them, incorporating 3D scanning, 3D design algorithms, and 3D printing. The perfect candidate for low volume 3D printed production to take the weight off of Derrick.&nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjA2Mzc5MjAzNDE3LUREMi5wbmciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19">Old front limb prosthetic compared&nbsp;to the new design&nbsp;With the new printed vest design, the product can be made in a fraction of the time and maintains strength and durability thanks to the amazing properties of TPU. However, we began to find challenges with the feet, still made the old fashioned way with heat bent plastic and rubber. Not only did they take skill, patience, and too much time to fabricate, we began getting complaints that they were breaking or deforming. With orders piling up and complaints streaming in, we needed a new solution, and fast.&nbsp;Thanks to another project we worked on that will be discussed in the full video, we had used nTopology to build prosthetic feet for a rock-climbing amputee. We were able to take the learnings from the various material and lattice tests we conducted, and quickly generate prosthetic feet concepts for the dogs utilizing the same toolkits and workflows. In addition to this, we were introduced to a type of TPE we had never used, called TPC. Very similar to what we were using for the vest, however, with far better energy return.<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjA2Mzc5MjMyNzczLUREMy03Njh4NDI5LnBuZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6OTUwLCJmaXQiOiJjb3ZlciJ9fX0=">Iterations of prosthetic feet in nTop Platform&nbsp;With the speed and versatility of FDM 3D printing, and the iterative power and ability to easily reuse workflows in nTop Platform, we were able to rapidly design, test, and ship a new solution in only days that previously would have taken weeks if not months had we taken a route requiring conventional molding. We seamlessly shipped out the replacements and installed the new design on all new prosthetics, without one hiccup. Best of all, the product will continue to evolve as we gain more feedback. We will soon be able to tailor the foot design to the specific needs of each dog, just as the vests are.&nbsp;<img src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJ3ZXZvbHZlci1wcm9qZWN0LWltYWdlcyIsImtleSI6ImZyb2FsYS8xNjA2Mzc5MjU0NDMyLURENC5wbmciLCJlZGl0cyI6eyJyZXNpemUiOnsid2lkdGgiOjk1MCwiZml0IjoiY292ZXIifX19">Furry friends modeling the new vest and foot design&nbsp;We cannot wait to see how more industrials designers utilize nTop Platform with additive manufacturing to reimagine the many products we interact with every day or the products that live beneath the surface that make the day to day possible.&nbsp;<hr>This article was first published on the&nbsp;<a href="https://ntopology.com/blog/2020/11/12/3d-printed-prosthetics-for-animals/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">nTopology blog</a>.

Derrick of Bionic Pets modeling a front limb prosthetic

With the reusable workflows in nTop Platform and FDM 3D printing, industrial designers are able to rapidly iterate and prototype the design of functional parts.

Developing 3D printed Prosthetics for Pets with nTop Platform

Motion capture and the field of motion measurement are widely used in both sports and creative visual media. But in this recent short film, ‘<a href="https://vimeo.com/453613568" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Protesys</a>’ by acclaimed Brazilian director, Afonso Poyart, the worlds of sport science and Hollywood collide, and <a href="https://www.xsens.com/products/mvn-animate" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Xsens MVN Animate</a> is at the center of production.&nbsp;Afonso’s filmmaking career has earned him a highly regarded place in the global film industry, directing films such as Two Rabbits&nbsp;(2012), Solace (2015), and Mais Forte que o Mundo: A História de José Aldo (2016), to name a few. In Protesys, conventional wisdom surrounding sports is challenged head-on, tackling the increasing role technology plays in professional sports. In particular, the film – shot convincingly as a fictional documentary – focuses on the potential for high-powered, bionic prosthetics that take a step beyond assistance for para-athletes, elevating users to superhuman levels of performance. Afonso partnered with VFX studio, <a href="https://www.picmapost.com.br/" target="_blank">Picma Post</a>, to design the short film’s photorealistic visuals, creating a convincing and realistic technology concept, all despite being set in an entirely fictional context.&nbsp;We spoke with Afonso Poyart and Rodrigo Elias, founding partner and production supervisor at Picma Post, about the film’s inception, production, and the studio’s future projects.&nbsp;<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable" frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/b6vjCVq4UQo?&amp;feature=emb_logo&amp;wmode=opaque" style="width: 784px; height: 503px;"></iframe> Perceiving Protesys&nbsp;Afonso was inspired by the incredible feats achieved by today’s para-athletes on the world stage, taking a keen interest in the role of advancements in prosthetic limbs. As prosthetic technology continues to improve, para-athletes are beginning to edge closer to the level of able-bodied sports stars, which begs the question: could robotic technology turn the tables?&nbsp;“We’ve started to see current-day parathletes, with the help of modern prosthetics, beginning to enter into higher and higher levels of sporting achievement, this inspired the basis of the film idea,” said Afonso.&nbsp;“What would happen if they equalled, and then bettered able-bodied athletes?” continued Afonso.&nbsp;With this concept in mind, Afonso opted to sculpt a world containing a new bionic prosthetic that while beyond today’s capabilities, feels like an entirely possible adaptation. You’d be forgiven for taking the premise of the film as fact, especially as it’s presented in a documentary form that demonstrates the technology as market-ready. It even stars an active, Brazilian para-athlete, Flavio Reitz:&nbsp;“Flavio is a real para-athlete from the Olympics – it’s like real life meets fiction. In the story, this futuristic tech company hires Flavio to test the new equipment,” explained Afonso.The bionic technology developed by the company goes far beyond normal expectations. Rather than just replacing the limb with something inactive, the new bionic prosthetic enhances the user’s physical ability to superhuman levels and is controlled like a regular limb using a computer chip implanted in the brain. Elon Musk’s Neuralink technology played some part in the inspiration for the brain implant idea.&nbsp;“Neuralink definitely provided some inspiration for the chip that connects the motor cortex in the brain with the robotic limbs. However, I didn’t want to fool people too much or give false hope – we wanted to create something that plays with the audience but becomes clearer as the film plays out. It’s too high-tech for today,” said Afonso.&nbsp;&nbsp;<img alt="20191020_153232-1" class="fr-fic fr-dii" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiAid2V2b2x2ZXItcHJvamVjdC1pbWFnZXMiLCAia2V5IjogImZyb2FsYS8xNjA0NjU5NDc5NTUwLTE2MDQ2NTk0Nzk1NTAucG5nIiwgImVkaXRzIjogeyJyZXNpemUiOiB7IndpZHRoIjogOTUwLCAiZml0IjogImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" width="600">Production ProcessThrough its high production standard, the short film manages to blur the line between fiction and reality, particularly in the CG animated sections that show off the prosthetic technology. To achieve this, the VFX studio utilized motion capture to generate realistic movements of athletes performing a range of sports.&nbsp;“When we first started discussing the idea and concept for the short film, we realized we needed an accurate mocap suit to record athletic movements. Here in Brazil, we don’t have lots of mocap studios or specialists, but our research led us to <a href="https://www.xsens.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Xsens</a> as the best solution. We talked a lot with the Xsens team when setting up to get the highest quality data,” explained Rodrigo.&nbsp;With a short time frame to learn how to use Xsens, the team found the technology’s ease-of-use and adaptability invaluable to the production process.&nbsp;“It was a really straightforward process for us. Picma had never operated a full mocap system and it was a learning process from scratch. Despite this, we were able to pick it up quickly,” said Afonso.&nbsp;“We were able to complete a lot of mocap directly on an athletics track. Nobody has capabilities like Xsens to complete sessions such as this,” continued Afonso.&nbsp;With the ability to record athletes live on the track, the <a href="https://www.picmapost.com.br/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Picma Post</a> team could record the full-body motion of boxers, dancers, and high jumpers with ease, generating the realistic, CG animation seen throughout the film. Picma used several stunt doubles for Flavio's routines, harmoniously merging the shots together.&nbsp;“Flavio is unable to use a real prosthetic leg and can’t walk. So every shot where he is walking is a double. We also hired a High Jumper for some of the shots too,” said Afonso.&nbsp;“We actually had three stuntmen for Flavio, one for jumping, running, and the body! added Rodrigo. “But of course, we only recorded the initial steps of Flavio’s jump with <a href="https://www.xsens.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Xsens</a>. We also had some wired cables that raised him during the recording session. As soon as he took off and went upwards, we’d cut, so the rest of the jump was all CG.”&nbsp;<img alt="IMG_0906.CR2" class="fr-fic fr-dii" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" src="https://images.wevolver.com/eyJidWNrZXQiOiAid2V2b2x2ZXItcHJvamVjdC1pbWFnZXMiLCAia2V5IjogImZyb2FsYS8xNjA0NjU5NDc5MTE2LTE2MDQ2NTk0NzkxMTYucG5nIiwgImVkaXRzIjogeyJyZXNpemUiOiB7IndpZHRoIjogOTUwLCAiZml0IjogImNvdmVyIn19fQ==" width="1200">“For the CG parts, we used a combination of Maya and Arnold. And every compositing shot is completed in Nuke. For now, we’re using HumanIK inside Maya to apply the mocap data and a custom rig using HumanIK as our base for the robot. We’re looking to develop custom rigs in the future,” said Rodrigo. Even high-impact movements resulted in no loss of data for the team, with the durability of the Xsens sensors proving very reliable. “We recorded a high jumper with Xsens to jump at a lower height to acquire all of the movement data as an athlete crosses over the bar. The data came out very clean, all despite the athletes hitting the mattresses with maximum force – the sensors worked fine,” explained Afonso.<iframe allowfullscreen="" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="100%" scrolling="no" src="https://play.vidyard.com/7RvtWS9otmd6jKYHf2Gx81?disable_popouts=1&amp;type=inline&amp;hidden_controls=0&amp;muted=0&amp;loop=0&amp;autoplay=0&amp;new_player_ui=1&amp;gdpr_enabled=1&amp;play_button_color=2A2A2A&amp;playlist_color=FFFFFF&amp;color=FFFFFF&amp;hide_playlist=1&amp;embed_button=0&amp;viral_sharing=0&amp;v=4.2.23&amp;vydata%5Butk%5D=e1b95d4c524d7134054b8a9c5fc2f599&amp;vydata%5Bportal_id%5D=3446270&amp;vydata%5Bcontent_type%5D=blog-post&amp;vydata%5Bcanonical_url%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.xsens.com%2Fcases%2Fdesigning-a-bionic-future-for-prosthetics-with-xsens&amp;vydata%5Bpage_id%5D=35219307837&amp;vydata%5Bcontent_page_id%5D=35219307837&amp;vydata%5Blegacy_page_id%5D=35219307837&amp;vydata%5Bcontent_folder_id%5D=null&amp;vydata%5Bcontent_group_id%5D=9880291723&amp;vydata%5Bab_test_id%5D=null&amp;vydata%5Blanguage_code%5D=null" title="Video" width="100%"></iframe>Feature FilmThe short is a stand-alone film in its own right, but it actually exists within a much larger universe designed by Afonso to encompass a feature-length, parallel story.&nbsp;“The short film is a case study for a feature film in production. We have a script and are just entering the production stages – the short film takes place in the same universe as the feature and acts as a precursor,” said Afonso.&nbsp;“The movie portrays a world where prosthetics are incredibly advanced. We’ve focused on different athletic sports where para-athletes use bionic limbs to become super athletes. The sporting audience and sponsors flip their interest into the bionic sports, able-bodied athletes become less significant as they’re unable to compete with para-athletes,” continued Afonso.&nbsp;“There will be two sisters, both athletes, one disabled and one able-bodied. When this technological revolution happens, the sister with the disability becomes the star, replacing the prospects of the able-bodied sister. It’s really about rivalry and what people are prepared to do to achieve success.”The feature film will take a more conventional cinematic approach, rather than the fictional documentary style of the short. But the questions touched upon in <a href="https://vimeo.com/453613568" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Protesys</a> will be expanded into realistic scenarios that are bound to cause contention. As Afonso states:&nbsp;“We always associate sports with physicality, but it seems to me that it’s much more about mental and emotional dexterity. If the robotics extends our physical ability to a higher level and really lowers difficulty constraints, what will differentiate the best athletes? Everyone might want a bionic limb, whether they need one or not.” You can check out the full short film <a href="https://www.solidlimbs.com/" target="_blank">here</a>, and keep your eyes peeled for further developments of the full feature film.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h3>Xsens MVN Animate</h3>Are you actively looking for a motion capture system? Feel free to visit our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.xsens.com/products/mvn-animate" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">product page</a>.<a href="https://www.xsens.com/cs/c/?cta_guid=62b0c95c-a32e-49a7-b027-2d1850d6c247&amp;signature=AAH58kHW8MGtxYkdRDy65TvwW8WxSoQlgA&amp;pageId=35219307837&amp;placement_guid=4d5a34f5-b6e3-4815-bb7c-67fec396482b&amp;click=d23fe1e1-9172-412a-af80-683795572401&amp;hsutk=e1b95d4c524d7134054b8a9c5fc2f599&amp;canon=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.xsens.com%2Fcases%2Fdesigning-a-bionic-future-for-prosthetics-with-xsens&amp;utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.xsens.com%2Fexplore%3Ffilter%3Dcases&amp;portal_id=3446270&amp;redirect_url=APefjpGczQu9wTNyNGmpb35KO0ZULXNHCqF9PkcH0Ho_6IWdyVwW2gu7s3VrxVumJdj3ZRgAd-220-M-7t0z5K_7GUyeMXeatlgMTlmpeIGz2ZoeriA-BJaRg2VrfHuyZEc8af2uCoVe4z_uyouYcGJWjoCuaaJ09pUhGzenbaRrw0IdC_wGbSbd4yyuUJ3xAopxB3HeKGgBp1JutLsNSkMy98evDLdzARZUnyn6TyX5GjiVzaODc8xdJtRc3xVBgNdq7JJUUPhXoG5xPx_AvClAVrZAzelHPw&amp;__hstc=81749512.e1b95d4c524d7134054b8a9c5fc2f599.1598950583555.1604655289703.1604659070195.177&amp;__hssc=81749512.5.1604659070195&amp;__hsfp=141168424&amp;contentType=blog-post" target="_blank" title="Download MVN Data Files"></a>

With Xsens

Designing A Bionic Future For Prosthetics

<a href="https://www.openbionics.com/" target="_blank">Open Bionics</a> is creating the next generation of prosthetic limbs. What sets these apart from traditional prosthetics is that all of the mechanical parts are 3D printed, bringing along considerable cost-savings. The models created by Open Bionics are both functional and aesthetically pleasing, making sure its wearer feels comfortable wearing them - both physically and socially.&nbsp;<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ipP-z_koTZs?&amp;wmode=opaque" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable" style="width: 789px; height: 456px;"></iframe>Bionic hands can be very expensive. Starting at about $35,000, they can go up to even $120,000. Open Bionics is developing a bionic hand that offers the same functionality at under $1,200.<h2>The 3D printed prosthetic</h2>The Open Bionics hand is suited for trans-radial amputees: people that still have an elbow joint but miss anywhere from their hand upwards. The prosthetic works through sensors that are placed on the wearer's muscles. These send out an electric signal that allows the hand to move when specific muscles are flexed. Each finger can be moved independently and with varying speed, allowing for different gripping modes and movements to be made.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1602664181040-Bionic_hand_sensor_placement.webp">Sensors are placed on the wearer's muscles&nbsp;<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1602664198362-Open_Bionics_hand_movement.webp">Muscle movements allow the hand to move in various ways&nbsp;<section>3D printing plays a vital part in the development of the Open Bionics hand. After 3D scanning the wearer's residual limb, a prosthetic design is made in 3D modeling software, after which both the hand and its socket are 3D printed.As all the mechanical components of the hand can be 3D printed, it becomes a cost-effective alternative to the traditional, expensive prosthetic. As it's about 30 times cheaper than other available alternatives, it helps to make robotic hands accessible to a wider audience.<h2>Rigid and flexible materials</h2>The Open Bionics hands are created using both rigid and flexible materials to support the varying functionalities of different parts of the hand. The fingers are printed in one piece with <a href="https://ultimaker.com/materials/tpu-95a" target="_blank">flexible TPU</a> and have joints built-in that work directly after the printing has finished. Other parts, that need to be more rigid, are printed with <a href="https://ultimaker.com/materials/pla" target="_blank">PLA</a>. Since the fingers' joints are built-in, the number of different parts that need to be manufactured is greatly reduced, which simplifies the assembly process.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1602664225372-3D_printing_prosthetic_hand.webp">Different materials are used for different parts of the hand&nbsp;<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1602664249526-Flexible_prosthetic_finger_joints+%281%29.webp"><figure type="ArticleImage"><figcaption>The soft fingers are printed in one piece with flexible material</figcaption></figure>3D printing not only shrinks the development costs of these bionic hands - it also allows for tailor-made designs to be implemented that perfectly match the wearer's wants and needs. Check the <a href="https://www.openbionics.com/" target="_blank">Open Bionics website</a> to stay up-to-date on the progress made in this field.As this case illustrates, 3D printing can radically change the way in which medical applications are approached. For an overview of other 3D printing applications in the medical field, check out our explore pages: <a href="https://ultimaker.com/en/explore/where-is-3d-printing-used/medicine" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://ultimaker.com/en/explore/where-is-3d-printing-used/medicine</a><hr>Disclaimer:&nbsp;Ultimaker 3D printers are designed and built for Fused Filament Fabrication with Ultimaker engineering thermoplastics within a commercial/business environment. The mixture of precision and speed makes the Ultimaker 3D printers the perfect machine for concept models, functional prototypes and the production of small series. Although we achieved a very high standard in the reproduction of 3D models with the usage of Ultimaker Cura, the user remains responsible to qualify and validate the application of the printed object for its intended use, especially critical for applications in strictly regulated areas like medical devices and aeronautics.</section>

Open Bionics is creating the next generation of prosthetic limbs. What sets these apart from traditional prosthetics is that all of the mechanical parts are 3D printed, bringing along considerable cost-savings.

Open Bionics: 3D printed prosthetic limbs

With the increased accessibility and democratization of technologies that allow for rapid design iteration and customization, such as 3D printing, more and more innovative groups are taking the initiative to reevaluate how the use of this technology can improve upon existing systems. One of these groups is DiveDesign, who is working to use 3D printing to optimize the process of creating custom full limb pet prosthetics. In this article, we share their story: from the partnerships they&rsquo;ve created, through the research and development that went into their new process, to the lives they&rsquo;ve changed along the way.&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr">Identifying An Opportunity&nbsp;</h2><a href="https://www.divedesignco.com/" target="_blank">DiveDesign</a> is the creation of Adam Hecht and Alex Tholl, who started their product development studio while still in college. While they mainly offer their services such as design research and strategy, concept development, prototyping, engineering, and brand development, their shared interest in technology has expanded their business and outlook towards finding opportunities for leveraging technology to improve upon existing systems used to design products.The team discovered one of these opportunities through their introduction to Derrick Campana of <a href="https://bionicpets.org/" target="_blank">Bionic Pets</a>, a leading provider of animal orthotics and prosthetics. Campana has been creating animal orthotic and prosthetic devices since 2005, and has provided custom braces and prosthetics for thousands of animals throughout his career. From speaking with Campana, Hecht and Tholl learned of the frustrations involved with the current process of creating full limb prosthetic devices for dogs, which had the ability to become a large portion of Bionic Pet&rsquo;s business.&nbsp;Traditionally, to create a full limb prosthetic (when the dog is missing an entire front leg), a negative mold is created of the patient using 3M ACE style bandages that is hardened using Plaster of Paris. Then, plastic sheets are heated and bent around the negative mold. Afterwards, it is trimmed and finished, and the foam and leg hardware components are attached.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1589852049169-unnamed+%286%29.png">Traditional method of creating the full limb prosthetics&nbsp; Although Campana has refined the process of creating full limb prosthetics, there were still many areas for improvement. While creating a brace takes little less than 2 hours, the process of creating a full limb prosthetic can usually take up to 15-20 (depending on the size of the prosthetic), and oftentimes does not account for adjustments after test fitting.Hecht and Tholl realized that there was an opportunity to improve upon this process. Leaning on their experience with 3D printing and scanning, they partnered with Campana to create a new method for creating full limb pet prosthetics.&nbsp;<h2 dir="ltr">Designing A New Process</h2>Hecht and Tholl began with the idea that by 3D scanning the negative mold and using the scan to create a 3D-printable customized prosthetic model, the need for heating, bending and finishing the plastic sheets would be eliminated, saving hours of manual labor.In addition to saved time, there were other advantages to this new approach: by incorporating digital tools into the process, it was now easier to modify the prosthetic after test fitting if needed. Through 3D printing the prosthetic, there would be more options for materiality, which would allow the prosthetic to be optimized for comfort, breathability, and flexibility.&nbsp;Another goal for the new process was to allow the workload to be distributed within a team, which was not an option with the existing process. &ldquo;For example,&rdquo; Tholl explained, &ldquo;(in the past) if Derrick was too busy one week, no body jackets got made because he&rsquo;s the only one who can make them. With the new process, we wanted to be able to train a team to support the process.&rdquo;&nbsp;With this in mind, the team began testing their new approach. They started by 3D scanning the Plaster of Paris molds and manipulating the scans with preexisting CAD tools. It was after preparing multiple prosthetic models for printing with these tools that they realized the extensive amount of manual digital labor that it required. &ldquo;We knew that creating a digital tool to perform the same actions with minimal user input was the key to a sustainable model.&rdquo; stated Hecht.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1589852032851-pasted+image+0+%281%29.png">3D scanning a negative mold&nbsp; <img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1589852146357-pasted+image+0+%282%29.png">Development of the new algorithm&nbsp;This realization led them to partnering with Chris Landau of <a href="https://www.landau.design/" target="_blank">Landau Design + Technology&nbsp;</a>to create an algorithm specifically for generating prosthetic models from 3D scans to aid them in their process. Through this algorithm, it was possible to generate finalized 3D printable models of the prosthetics in a fraction of the time. It also allowed for further customization of each prosthetic through changing mount positions, thicknesses, and more.<h2 dir="ltr">Research &amp; Development</h2>With considerations towards cost, processing and printing time, and comfort, Hecht and Tholl designed and printed countless iterations of the prosthetics and worked with Landau to fine-tune the features of the algorithm. &ldquo;To be honest, the first design was us making sure we could even print something that could fit a large dog and be comfortable. Derrick at Bionic Pets sat with us for many hours going over the importances of support placement, sizing, flexibility, strength.&rdquo; Tholl recalled. &ldquo;Not only did we want the new design to be faster to make, we also wanted it to be a better product for the dog.&rdquo; Hecht added.The largest challenge throughout development came with finding a material to print the prosthetics with. &ldquo;We tried at least 10 different materials before landing on TPU,&rdquo; Tholl stated. TPU, or thermoplastic polyurethane, is a plastic known for its elasticity and high abrasion resistance. &ldquo;With this material we found the perfect combination of flex for comfort, and strength for support. It also enabled us to print a heavily ventilated pattern that enabled more breathability, unlike other materials that would have required being printed solid.&rdquo;&nbsp;<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1589852191030-pasted+image+0+%283%29.png">Prosthetic 3D printed with TPU &nbsp;Other characteristics of TPU that made it a good choice for printing the prosthetics were its microbial resistance, water resistance, and ability to be applied on or near the skin, which were important considerations when planning for the prolonged attachment to the patient.&nbsp;As with any thorough design development, it was important to validate that the product would function as intended for the end user, and meet all the necessary comfort and safety requirements. However, this user validation was unlike any DiveDesign had tackled in the past. &ldquo;It was tough because we had so many criteria to meet that would allow Derrick to approve our methods. Most importantly, we wanted to make sure that the fit was right. We were also looking to ensure that it moved with the dog and did not restrict them, was breathable and wouldn&rsquo;t cause discomfort, and it could withstand the expected wear and tear.&rdquo; explained Tholl.Fortunately, there were pet families who were willing to participate in the initial testing under Campana&rsquo;s supervision. This allowed DiveDesign to be confident that the prosthetics they were sending out to future patients were up to Campana&rsquo;s standards.&nbsp;One of these families were the owners of a dog named Hope, who volunteered to test one of the finalized prosthetics made through the new process. &ldquo;Hope&rsquo;s family really helped us to make sure what we were creating functioned in the way that it needed to, and Derrick was present digitally to watch and make sure his standards were being exceeded.&rdquo; Hecht explained.&nbsp;<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1589852229109-pasted+image+0+%284%29.png">Test fitting Hope&rsquo;s full limb prostheticThrough families like Hope&rsquo;s, the team was able to conduct invaluable testing that allowed them to confirm that their process produced a viable alternative to traditional prosthetics, as well as better understand the unique challenges that came with every patient.<h2 dir="ltr">Creating The Prosthetics</h2><img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1589852304525-pasted+image+0+%285%29.png">Preparing prosthetics for shipment&nbsp;Once the process had been tested and verified,the recurring orders for full limb prosthetics that Bionic Pets was receiving could be fulfilled using the new 3D printing-centric process. To date, the team has completed over 30 orders for prosthetics, with more coming in every day. As they are fine-tuning the process, the partnership between DiveDesign, Campana, and Landau has remained crucial. The prosthetics are being closely monitored by Campana, and the algorithm is continuing to be developed under the guidance of Landau.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1589852731963-1241243123123.png">Fully assembled prosthetics &nbsp;While this endeavour has been a large undertaking for the team, the joy of seeing their prosthetics being used to change the lives of pets and their families has made it well worth it. &ldquo;Seeing (the pets&rsquo;) progress as they learn to move with the prosthetic..seeing them run for the first time, it&rsquo;s great to see.&rdquo; Hecht said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s like an indescribable feeling. Never in a million years did we ever think we&rsquo;d be developing animal prosthetics using 3D printing.&rdquo; Tholl added.<img src="https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wevolver-project-images/froala%2F1589852759499-12565474.png" style="width: 788px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><h2 dir="ltr">Looking To The Future</h2>As production of the prosthetics continues, the team is keeping their mind on expanding their operations. With the assistance of 3D printing service centers such as <a href="https://www.gcreate.com/" target="_blank">gCreate</a> in Brooklyn, NY, they are working to keep up with the large influx of orders they are receiving each month.&nbsp;For Hecht and Tholl, this project has inspired them to continue finding ways to use the technology they have available to them to solve problems and help others. &ldquo;We are excited to see where we will go from here, and what further applications for 3D printing we will find in the future.&rdquo; said Tholl.&nbsp;You can learn more about this project through<a href="https://www.divedesignco.com/work/bionic-pets" target="_blank">&nbsp;DiveDesign&rsquo;s</a> website, and by following <a href="https://www.instagram.com/divedesignco/?hl=en" target="_blank">DiveDesign</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bionicpets/?hl=en" target="_blank">Bionic Pets</a> on Instagram. You can also learn more about the story of two of their patients, Turbo Roo &amp; Thor, on Campana&rsquo;s new show <a href="https://www.byutv.org/player/8d089869-c4d2-40f2-a7b2-e718a216952e/wizard-of-paws-turbo-roo-thor" target="_blank">The Wizard of Paws</a> on BYUtv.&nbsp;<hr>References:<ul style="list-style-type: circle;"><li><a href="https://www.divedesignco.com/" target="_blank">https://www.divedesignco.com/</a></li><li><a href="https://bionicpets.org/" target="_blank">https://bionicpets.org/</a></li><li><a href="https://www.landau.design/" target="_blank">https://www.landau.design/</a></li><li><a href="https://www.byutv.org/player/8d089869-c4d2-40f2-a7b2-e718a216952e/wizard-of-paws-turbo-roo-thor" target="_blank">https://www.byutv.org/player/8d089869-c4d2-40f2-a7b2-e718a216952e/wizard-of-paws-turbo-roo-thor</a></li></ul>

A New Jersey-based product development studio has paired with an algorithm developer and one of the nation’s leading animal orthotists to optimize the process of creating full-limb pet prosthetics.

Utilizing 3D Printing To Create Pet Prosthetics

The human heart beats approximately 35 million times every year, pumping blood via four different heart valves. Unfortunately, &nbsp;in more four million people each year, these delicate tissues malfunction due to birth defects, age-related deteriorations, and infections causing cardiac valve disease.Today, clinicians use either artificial prostheses or fixed animal and cadaver-sourced tissues to replace defective valves. While these prostheses can restore the function of the heart for a while, they are associated with adverse comorbidity and wear down and need to be replaced during invasive and expensive surgeries. Moreover, in children, implanted heart valve prostheses need to be replaced even more often as they cannot grow with the child.A team lead by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.seas.harvard.edu/directory/kkparker" target="_blank">Kevin Kit Parker</a>, Tarr Family Professor of Bioengineering and Applied Physics at the<a href="http://www.seas.harvard.edu/" target="_blank">&nbsp;Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences&nbsp;</a>(SEAS), recently developed a nanofiber fabrication technique to rapidly manufacture heart valves with regenerative and growth potential.Parker is also a Core Faculty member of&nbsp;<a href="http://wyss.harvard.edu/" target="_blank">Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University.</a>In a paper published in&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0142961217302685" target="_blank">Biomaterials</a>, first author Andrew Capulli and colleagues fabricated a valve-shaped nanofiber network that mimics the mechanical and chemical properties of the native valve extracellular matrix (ECM). The team used the Parker lab&rsquo;s proprietary rotary jet spinning technology &ndash; in which a rotating nozzle extrudes an ECM solution into nanofibers that wrap themselves around heart valve-shaped mandrels.&ldquo;Our setup is like a very fast cotton candy machine that can spin a range of synthetic and natural occurring materials,&rdquo; said Parker. &ldquo;In this study, we used a combination of synthetic polymers and ECM proteins to fabricate biocompatible JetValves that are hemodynamically competent upon implantation and support cell migration and re-population&nbsp;in vitro. Importantly, we can make human-sized JetValves in minutes &ndash; much faster than possible for other regenerative prostheses.&rdquo;To further develop and test the clinical potential of JetValves, Parker&rsquo;s team partnered with the translational team of Simon P. Hoerstrup, at the University of Zurich. As a leader in regenerative heart prostheses, Hoerstrup and his team in Zurich previously developed regenerative, tissue-engineered heart valves to replace mechanical and fixed-tissue heart valves. In Hoerstrup&rsquo;s approach, human cells directly deposit a regenerative layer of complex ECM on biodegradable scaffolds shaped as heart valves and vessels. The living cells are then eliminated from the scaffolds resulting in an &ldquo;off-the-shelf&rdquo; human matrix-based prostheses ready for implantation.In the paper, the cross-disciplinary team successfully implanted JetValves in sheep using a minimally invasive technique and demonstrated that the valves functioned properly in the circulation and regenerated new tissue.&ldquo;In our previous studies, the cell-derived ECM-coated scaffolds could recruit cells from the receiving animal&rsquo;s heart and support cell proliferation, matrix remodeling, tissue regeneration, and even animal growth. While these valves are safe and effective, their manufacturing remains complex and expensive as human cells must be cultured for a long time under heavily regulated conditions. The JetValve&rsquo;s much faster manufacturing process can be a game-changer in this respect. If we can replicate these results in humans, this technology could have invaluable benefits in minimizing the number of pediatric re-operations,&rdquo; said Hoerstrup.

In rotary jet spinning technology, a rotating nozzle extrudes a solution of extracellular matrix (ECM) into nanofibers that wrap themselves around heart valve-shaped mandrels. By using a series of mandrels with different sizes, the manufacturing process becomes fully scalable and is able to provide JetValves for all age groups and heart sizes. (Photo courtesy of Wyss Institute at Harvard University)

Harvard and the University of Zurich partner to create a next-generation heart valve that accurately functions upon implantation and regenerates into long-lasting heart-like tissue

Engineering heart valves for the many

<a href="http://eas.caltech.edu/people/mgharib" target="_blank">Mory Gharib</a> (PhD &#39;83), the Hans W. Liepmann Professor of Aeronautics and Bioinspired Engineering in the Division of Engineering and Applied Science, and postdoctoral researcher Chris Roh (MS &#39;13, PhD &#39;17) studied Anisopteran dragonfly larvae, which live in water and both breathe and move by inhaling water, extracting oxygen from it, and then expelling the water back out through a tri-leaflet anal valve that is surprisingly similar in structure to tricuspid human heart valves.&nbsp;The larvae are able to control the retraction of each of the three leaves individually, and this, Gharib and Roh discovered, gives them fine control over the size and symmetry (or asymmetry) of the valve opening.&nbsp;&quot;The dragonfly larva is the only insect that uses jet propulsion to move and the only arthropod known to use reciprocal jetting&mdash;inhaling and exhaling through the same orifice&mdash;for underwater breathing,&quot; says Roh, the lead author of a paper on the larval jets that was published online by the journal Bioinspiration &amp; Biomimeticson May 30.&nbsp;To observe how the larvae directed the flow of water using the leaves on their anal valves, Gharib and Roh set up high-speed cameras around an aquarium filled with a colored dye and tethered 96 dragonfly larvae&mdash;one at a time&mdash;in front of the cameras using dental wax. They found that when the larvae retracted all three leaves, the water jet flows straight out, pushing the animals straight forward. Retracting just one or two leaves, on the other hand, results in an asymmetric flow, which the larvae use when breathing.&quot;The way the dragonfly larvae use their unique adaptation to control the jet direction has previously been overlooked,&quot; says Gharib, senior author of the paper. &quot;The asymmetry control by the larvae is an intriguing jet-vectoring mechanism, different from those of squids or salps that simply point their funnels or siphons in a desired direction.&quot;Like the anus of the dragonfly larvae, heart valves have two or three leaves (depending on the valve) that control the flow. Gharib and Roh intend to use what they have learned from the dragonflies to engineer a new prosthetic multi-leaf heart valve that can direct jets in specific directions that mimic natural blood flow emerging from the valve, which is never perfectly symmetric. Currently, the unnaturally symmetrical flow of blood emerging from prosthetic valves can cause blood clots to form or even be abrasive to the walls of blood vessels. To cope with this unintended side effect of prosthetic heart valves, patients typically must spend the rest of their lives taking blood-thinning medications.&nbsp;&quot;The current heart valve design is a one-size-fits-all, where no patient-specific design is considered, and this causes many post-transplant complications,&quot; Roh says. &quot;We believe that an intentionally off-centered opening of the heart valve to more closely match the patient&#39;s original blood flow will be an important design parameter that can be adjusted based on each patient&#39;s heart morphology.&quot;

Seen as a light-colored plume, water jets out from the back of a larval dragonfly. Credit: Chris Roh and Mory Gharib/Caltech

A new understanding of the mechanics of dragonfly larvae respiration and maneuvering could lead to the next generation of prosthetic heart valves, say Caltech engineers.

prosthetics

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