. | . |
Tunisian startup 3D prints solar-powered bionic hands By Caroline Nelly Perrot Sousse, Tunisia (AFP) Nov 3, 2020
A Tunisian startup is developing a 3D-printed bionic hand, hoping the affordable and solar-powered prosthetic will help amputees and other disabled people across Africa. Unlike traditional devices, the artificial hand can be customised for children and youths, who otherwise require an expensive series of resized models as they grow up. The company Cure Bionics also has plans to develop a video game-like virtual reality system that helps youngsters learn how to use the artificial hand through physical therapy. Mohamed Dhaouafi, the 28-year-old founder and CEO of Cure Bionics, designed his first prototype while still an engineering student in his home city Sousse. "One team member had a cousin who was born without a hand and whose parents couldn't afford a prosthesis, especially as she was still growing up," he said. "So we decided to design a hand." Dhaouafi launched his start-up in 2017 from his parents' home, at a time when many of his classmates chose to move abroad seeking higher salaries and international experience. "It was like positive revenge," he told AFP. "I wanted to prove I could do it. I also want to leave a legacy, to change people's lives." Dhaouafi pointed to hurdles in Tunisia, where it can be hard or impossible to order parts via large online sales sites. There is a lack of funding and, he said, "we lack visionaries within the state". But by pooling money raised through sponsored competitions and seed investment from a US company, he was able to recruit four young engineers. They are now fine-tuning designs, writing code and testing the artificial hand. - 'Climb like Spiderman' - The device works with sensors attached to the arm that detect muscle movement, and AI-assisted software that interprets them to transmit instructions to the digits. The hand itself has a wrist that can turn sideways, a mechanical thumb and fingers that bend at the joints in response to the electronic impulses. To teach youngsters how to use them, Cure has been working on a virtual-reality headset that "gamifies" the physical therapy process. "Currently, for rehabilitation, children are asked to pretend to open a jar, for example, with the hand they no longer have," said Dhaouafi. "It takes time to succeed in activating the muscles this way. It's not intuitive, and it's very boring." In Cure's version, the engineer said: "We get them to climb up buildings like Spiderman, with a game score to motivate them, and the doctor can follow up online from a distance". 3D printing meanwhile makes it possible to personalise the prosthesis like a fashion accessory or "a superhero's outfit", said Dhaouafi. Cure hopes to market its first bionic hands within a few months, first in Tunisia and then elsewhere in Africa, where more than three-quarters of people in need have no access to them, according to the World Health Organization. "The aim is to be accessible financially but also geographically," said Dhaouafi. The envisaged price of around $2,000 to $3,000 is substantial, but a fraction of the cost of bionic prostheses currently imported from Europe. - 'Leapfrog technology' - Cure also aims to manufacture as close as possible to the end users, with local technicians measuring the patients and then printing individually fitted devices. "An imported prosthesis today means weeks or even months of waiting when you buy it, and again with each repair," the inventor said. The bionic hand is made of Lego-like parts that can be replaced if damaged or to match a child's physical growth. It can also be solar-powered via a photovoltaic charger for use in regions without a reliable electricity supply. The 3D printing of rudimentary prostheses started about a decade ago and is becoming standard. It is not a magic solution because specialised medical know-how is still crucial, said Jerry Evans, who heads Nia Technologies, a Canadian non-commercial organisation that helps African hospitals manufacture 3D-printed lower limbs. "3D printing is still in its early stages," he said, "but it is a major game changer in the field of prosthetics and orthotics." "Developing countries will probably leapfrog to these technologies because the cost is much lower."
Zortrax develops 3D printing technology with support of ESA Olsztyn, Poland (SPX) Oct 15, 2020 Zortrax with the support of the European Space Agency (ESA) is working to develop a technology that enables 3D printing high-performance composite parts out of two blends of PEEK filament in dual extrusion on Zortrax Endureal industrial 3D printer. After nearly a year of research and development efforts, we have reached a major milestone. The first prototype composite parts made out of standard PEEK and experimental electrically conductive PEEK developed by ESA have been successfully fabricated on ... read more
|
|
The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us. |