3D printed prostheses are fast becoming a more accepted and viable option, and they’re about to become competitive.
This is Denise Schindler, a paralympian and leg amputee from Germany. She won a silver medal at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London. She unfortunately lost the lower part of her right leg below the knee, as a child after an accident. In order to cycle, she uses a prosthetic leg specially designed to work with her bicycle.
他们与Autodesk产品设计师Paul Sohi合作，正在开发一个完全印刷的假肢，将在Rio 2016残奥会中使用。据说这是第一个参加奥运会的人。
“这将是世界上第一个假肢at the Paralympics that has been 3D printed,” says Sohi. “We’re at a stage technology-wise to initiate a paradigm shift in this industry.”
最初，Schinler的碳纤维蛋黄酱是手工制作的。依靠一个人制造这些定制工具是一个非常耗时且昂贵的过程，因此希望3D打印替代方案的成本可能降低，同时保持可靠和有用。除了与Sohi合作研究该项目外，辛德勒骨科技术员Thomas Wellmer的专业知识和经验在整个项目中都特别有用。
Sohi解释说：“现在事情仍然是手工发生的，需要很长时间。”“但是石膏铸件可能会变成3D扫描，插座设计可以变成数字雕刻，碳纤维成型可以变成3D打印。”
Sohi使用了Autodesk融合360为了建模假肢，并使用右腿进行扫描来确保假体适合。
“ Fusion 360是一个多合一的软件包，因此进行建模，动画和仿真，” Sohi解释说。“我们可以很快进行更改，然后看看这将如何影响材料的压力之类的事情。”
This project has allowed for Sohi to design the prosthetic not as a way to help the wearer to walk or cycle. The prosthetic Schindler uses is also a tool, a piece of kit, which is being used to hopefully win a gold medal. This meant he has had to bear in mind so much more than just ergonomic considerations. Aerodynamics also play a big part in allowing cyclists to have the speed to succeed, so much so that this prosthetic would have to also be designed with aerodynamic considerations, just like Olympic bikes are too.
In Schindler’s case she’ll be taking part in various different road and track events in Rio de Janeiro, though in the long term it is hoped that the lessons learned could help with the development of other prostheses, whilst making them more accessible and cost less. “Because everything is digitally distributable, you can democratise the manufacturing and you can build prosthetics anywhere in the world,” says Sohi. “This is very much the future of prosthetics.”
The one in question though, has been tested and developed in various forms, and has been printed in two parts in polycarbonate.
Development has meant that Schindler is training with the latest version of the prosthetic, though there is still more development to come to improve the aerodynamics of it. “With the last version we have definitely achieved a goal in that I can really ride with it,” Schindler says. “I was even training outside and on the track, so I’ve been really surprised with what a big step we have made already.” She is particularly passionate about opening up the world of sports to other amputees, as many feel they can no longer fulfil their potential after losing part of, or a full limb. “The new technology is great for me, but my big goal is really to open up the sports world for the average amputated person,” Schindler says. “It makes a big difference if you have been amputated and you still have the chance to be active, to be self confident, to enjoy life and not to give up.”
The success of this project, however, brings up some possible issues regarding rules and what is deemed appropriate for competitions. What if a 3D printed prosthetic put an Olympian at an unfair advantage? How could rules be made for these sorts of issues? Do we already face similar problems with equipment used in sports competitions? At least at the moment, Schindler can compete with her futuristic, aerodynamic prosthetic, but who knows how things can change as 3D printing bores further into sports.
下面的视频是由Dezeen在德国的Reha-Technik Wellmer和Schmidbauer拍摄的。Senger Prager拍摄了额外的录像。
