Rapid Liquid 3D Printing of Patient Specific Wrist Orthoses
Problem statement
Treating patients who suffer from wrist weakness or maladjustments is crucial for patient freedom of movement and physical comfort. However, an orthopedic surgeon should not be limited by the lengthy process of 3D printing a customizable wrist orthotic, nor should the surgeon be limited by the availability of a hand specialist. Custom wrist orthotics on the market today range in fabrication time from a day to sometimes a week [1]. A hand specialist, or orthotist, is also needed for the molding of the orthotic, and they are a resource that not every hospitable has full access to [1]. A newer method in the works, rapid liquid printing (RLP), combats the time and limited access to hand specialist barriers. RLP uses gel as a support medium which increases the printing speed, allows for the printing of complex geometries, and can be experimented with many different materials [2]. Overall, RLP is a revolutionary method that encourages faster printing times, better healthcare access, and is considered a more affordable option that has the ability to cater directly to the patients’ needs for customizability. It is imperative that rapid liquid printing is further explored and researched so that an efficient and effective RLP method may be developed. Essentially, our solution will address the circuitry, printing materials, printing process, customizability, and time to print aspects to provide quality custom printing that is done at local hospitals and provides the best comfort solution for the patient. [1] A. A. Portnova, G. Mukherjee, K. M. Peters, A. Yamane, and K. M. Steele, “Design of a 3D-printed, open-source wrist-driven orthosis for individuals with Spinal Cord Injury,” PLOS ONE, vol. 13, no. 2, 2018. [2] K. Hajash, B. E. Sparrman, C. Guberan, J. S. Laucks, and S. Tibbits, “Large-scale rapid liquid printing,” Large-Scale Rapid Liquid Printing, 08-Aug-2019. [Online]. Available: https://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/122801.
Team members
Jacob Arlandson – leader
Lance Johnson – communicator
Jacob Arlandson – accountant
Warunyoo Nijjarungul – admin
Kenzie Germanson and Julia Mastej (BME)
Client
Dr. Zachary French and Dr. Eamon Bernardoni, UW School of Medicine and Public Health