How 3D printing is helping the disabled and elderly
Over the past few years, we’ve seen an abundance of 3D printing concepts come to fruition, from the weird and wonderful - or just plain weird - to the highly functional. While it’s great that 3D printing is beginning to revolutionise the way products are manufactured in a range of industries, it’s also amazing to see how this technology is impacting humans on a highly personal level.
3D printing could become a game changer in the field of assistive devices, which are currently necessary for many elderly and disabled people around the world in order to get by day-to-day. Given the highly unique challenges faced by such people on a daily basis, the potential for 3D printed solutions is seemingly endless. Here are some of the most ingenious 3D printed devices which are already improving the lives of those in difficult circumstances.
Knives for the elderly and arthritic
For those of us who are able bodied, using a standard kitchen knife is something that we take for granted every day. Unfortunately, simple tasks such as this become burdensome or even impossible for those facing afflictions such as arthritis. Tackling this problem head on is Matt Burdis, a product design student and 3D printing hobbyist.
After conducting several focus groups with those who have arthritis, Burdis concluded that to create usable kitchen knives, they would have to be easy to grip, made out of a comfortable material, and most importantly, be safe. After much debate over ergonomics, Burdis 3D printed prototypes for a bread knife and a paring knife, both of which were made of foam. While the examples were not usable, he handed out a prototype to each person at the focus group to serve as a reminder of what will be possible in the (hopefully, near) future.
iEat Independent Feeder
For people with restricted or impaired motor functions, eating can be nigh-on impossible. Although there are devices on the market designed to assist in this, they are usually prohibitively expensive.
As an affordable alternative, a design team have innovated the iEat: Independent Feeder which can be manufactured out of a few simple 3D printed parts. Prototypes such as these demonstrate how 3D printing can be used to bypass expensive conventional manufacturing processes and provide people with a viable solution to their problems at a fraction of the cost.
Putting wheelchairs in forward motion
A pair of designers have innovated a wheelchair attachment which allows the user to drive the wheelchair forward using only his or her hand. Lever-powered wheelchairs are highly expensive and are thus not a viable solution for many people who require a wheelchair to move. Fortunately, this device only costs 40 USD to produce and can be used in conjunction with standard wheelchairs.
The device features a dual ratchet mechanism where one ratchet moves the wheelchair forward when the handles gets pumped, and to move the wheelchair backwards, the user only needs to squeeze on the break on the handlebar - thereby engaging the other ratchet. While providing excellent functional benefits to wheelchair users, the real marvel of the device is how easy it is to construct.
Consisting of only six 3D printed parts as well as some screws, lock nuts, some aluminum pole, a mountain bike brake assembly and cable, and a spring, it just goes to show that sometimes the most useful ideas are also some of the most simple! While the device is currently available for download via Hackaday, the design team are currently innovating the next version of the device which is expected to have much faster speeds.
Tagged with: assistive technology, prosthetics
