Plastic hands
Did you know that a 3-D printer can do a whole lot more than just make unuseful stuff.
There is a child that has no hand and the parents asked their doctor if there was an available and affordable artificial hand for him, and the doctor wasstumped. The doctor looked at the newest prosthetic limb technology and began hunting for cheaper, more comfortable options for the child. He started looking into a 3D printer. He used the 3-D printer his wife bought him for Father’s Day, he used sheets of colored plastic, and free designs and advice found online, he made a prosthetic hand for only $20. One of the first kids they fitted was a 2-year-old.
Chi, a surgeon, said, “They thought the child was too young, but they weren’t even able to finish strapping it on, and the kid was in love with it. The kid was happy to finally be able to pick stuff up again he gave the doctor a high five the hand was all plastic.” The price for artificial limbs had made cheaper for people who do not have a lot of money. 3-D printers created a network of volunteer designers, medical workers, artists, engineers, and parents. The network has been outfitting children with inexpensive 3-D printed hands and is hoping to give hands free of charge to any interested child.
The organization has provided more than 400 children with plastic hands over the past year. They use free designs online for the 3-D printers to make the plastic hands. The best thing about it is that people don’t have to pay $10,000- $100,000 for a prosthetic hand. You could make a plastic hand for $20 all you need is a 3-D printer, a computer to put the files on the 3-D printer, and a sheet of plastic for the creation of the hand.
