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Cyborg beast: a low-cost 3d-printed prosthetic hand for children with upper-limb differences
Jorge Zuniga1, Dimitrios Katsavelis2, Jean Peck3
1Department of Exercise Science and Pre Health Professions, Creighton University, Omaha, NE, 68178, USA. JorgeZuniga@creighton.edu.
Insights
This study introduces a low-cost, 3D-printed prosthetic hand for children with limb differences. This accessible technology offers a potential solution for improving quality of life for children globally.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Rehabilitation Technology
- Pediatric Prosthetics
Background:
- Increasing prevalence of pediatric upper-limb differences necessitates affordable prosthetic solutions.
- High costs of traditional prosthetics limit accessibility for low-income and developing populations.
- Advancements in 3D printing offer potential for low-cost, customizable prosthetic devices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe a novel, low-cost, three-dimensional (3D)-printed prosthetic hand for children.
- To propose a remote methodology for fitting prosthetic hands to pediatric patients.
- To address the unmet needs of children with upper-limb reductions.
Main Methods:
- Development of a low-cost 3D-printed prosthetic hand.
- Validation of remote measurement techniques using photographs for anthropometric and range of motion data.
- Comparison of measurements taken directly from subjects versus those from photographs.
Main Results:
- No significant mean differences were found between direct measurements and photograph-derived measurements.
- Bland and Altman analysis indicated minimal bias and acceptable agreement for length and width measurements.
- Small bias and wider limits of agreement were observed for range of motion measurements.
- The prosthetic device shows potential for positive impact on quality of life and daily activities.
Conclusions:
- A low-cost 3D-printed prosthetic hand and a distance-fitting procedure have been developed.
- This prosthetic offers a potentially accessible alternative for children in developing countries and underserved populations.
- Further research is needed to evaluate the functionality, durability, and long-term benefits of this 3D-printed prosthetic.
Background:
There is an increasing number of children with traumatic and congenital hand amputations or reductions. Children's prosthetic needs are complex due to their small size, constant growth, and psychosocial development. Families' financial resources play a crucial role in the prescription of prostheses for their children, especially when private insurance and public funding are insufficient. Electric-powered (i.e., myoelectric) and body-powered (i.e., mechanical) devices have been developed to accommodate children's needs, but the cost of maintenance and replacement represents an obstacle for many families. Due to the complexity and high cost of these prosthetic hands, they are not accessible to children from low-income, uninsured families or to children from developing countries. Advancements in computer-aided design (CAD) programs, additive manufacturing, and image editing software offer the possibility of designing, printing, and fitting prosthetic hands devices at a distance and at very low cost. The purpose of this preliminary investigation was to describe a low-cost three-dimensional (3D)-printed prosthetic hand for children with upper-limb reductions and to propose a prosthesis fitting methodology that can be performed at a distance.
Results:
No significant mean differences were found between the anthropometric and range of motion measurements taken directly from the upper limbs of subjects versus those extracted from photographs. The Bland and Altman plots show no major bias and narrow limits of agreements for lengths and widths and small bias and wider limits of agreements for the range of motion measurements. The main finding of the survey was that our prosthetic device may have a significant potential to positively impact quality of life and daily usage, and can be incorporated in several activities at home and in school.
Conclusions:
This investigation describes a low-cost 3D-printed prosthetic hand for children and proposes a distance fitting procedure. The Cyborg Beast prosthetic hand and the proposed distance-fitting procedures may represent a possible low-cost alternative for children in developing countries and those who have limited access to health care providers. Further studies should examine the functionality, validity, durability, benefits, and rejection rate of this type of low-cost 3D-printed prosthetic device.
