3D printing in the service of prosthetists
It's amazing how quickly fiction turns into reality. Semifinalists Generations - Moscow company “Motorika” - presented a project to create electromechanical upper limb prostheses with a myo-control system (removal of electrical impulses from the muscles). At the stage of development of prostheses, 3D printing technology is used, which significantly reduces the cost of R & D and accelerates the creation of the prototype. The project aims to address the problem of the availability of high-quality functional prostheses of the upper limbs in both Russian and foreign markets. But the main thing is that the development will return to people the possibility of a full life and help to survive the misfortune.
The project started in August 2013, commercial implementation is scheduled for the IV quarter of 2014. The essence of the project is to develop an electromechanical prosthesis of the hand and arm as a whole with a control system through the reading of muscle contractions. The key partners of the project are: the online service for industrial 3D printing Can-Touch.ru, the Institute of Prosthetics and Rehabilitation. G.A. Albrecht (St. Petersburg), Ingria Business Incubator, Autodesk, ImpactHub International Community of Social Entrepreneurs, etc.
The technology of manufacturing prosthetic parts using 3D printing has already been tested - 3 traction prosthetic fingers have been manufactured and installed. A prosthesis allows a person to perform the grip function. The product is pre-assembled and checked the work of all connections, and the final assembly is already on the patient's arm. Under the prosthesis, the sleeve is made of special medical thermoplastic, which, when heated in hot water, becomes flexible and it is easy for it to give the desired shape. After a few minutes, the material hardens and acts as a rigid frame to which the prosthesis is attached. The mass of the prototype ranges from 150 to 300 g, the grip force ranges from 0.5 to 4 N, which is more than enough to solve everyday problems.
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Now the project is at the end of the zero stage, involving the certification of a mechanical (traction) prosthetic fingers. Next, it is planned to develop an electromechanical prosthesis of the hand, prosthetic forearm and prosthetic arm. At the final stage, a prosthetic control system will be developed using a head interface. The required amount of investment at the zero stage is estimated at 5 million rubles, at the first stage - 20 million rubles.
The final cost of an electromechanical prosthesis of a brush, presumably, will begin from 180 thousand rubles. The price will directly depend on the functionality of the prosthesis. There are from 6 to 20 types of grips and gestures, it is assumed the possibility of using a remote control system over wireless communication, the ability to install (or the presence in the basic version) of various functional modifications (built-in smart watches, remote control electronic devices at home, functional nozzles and much more).
According to the authors of the project, the most advanced prostheses are now manufactured using carbon fiber or expensive polymers, which provides them lightness and durability, but guarantees a very high cost. The use of 3D-printing will allow to make more ergonomic, and most importantly cheap dentures, by reducing the costs at the development stage. “Now the technology of 3D printing for these purposes is only beginning to be applied and has not yet become widely spread and commercialized in the prosthetic and orthopedic industry. But the potential of the technology is quite high, including by reducing the final cost of the product, as well as using the author's design to create a prosthesis, ”says Ilya Chekh, the ideological and technological inspirer of Motorika.
Moreover, according to the co-founder of the company Vasily Khlebnikov, in Russia, mechanical and electromechanical prostheses are practically not developed, and those that are still manufactured are unreasonably expensive and practically not improved. “Therefore, the product we create will be in demand due to low price, production speed, functionality and ergonomics, as well as wide availability,” Khlebnikov is sure.
The annual volume of the world market of prostheses is about 600 billion rubles, of Russia - 1.7 billion rubles. The overall growth of the global market for upper limb prostheses is estimated at 4-5% per year. In 2013, the market supply of products was at the level of 30% in the world and 15% in Russia. By 2019, the company plans to install more than 10,000 prostheses and exceed an annual turnover of up to 250 million rubles. Developers plan to take up to 5% of the world market and up to 30% of the Russian market by 2020. Today, the first 30 applications have already been received from patients.
Today, there are prospects for the full import substitution of existing upper limb prostheses on the market, due to poor quality and very limited functionality of analogues. The special feature of the prostheses being developed is the possibility of rapid modification with additional removable functional modules (various fastening modules for phones, tablets, etc., removable or embedded tools for technical works).
As possible risks to the project, the authors highlight bureaucratic delays in product certification, conservative prosthetics in Russia, limited access to the US and European markets due to the political situation and an increase in the cost of imported components.
The project started in August 2013, commercial implementation is scheduled for the IV quarter of 2014. The essence of the project is to develop an electromechanical prosthesis of the hand and arm as a whole with a control system through the reading of muscle contractions. The key partners of the project are: the online service for industrial 3D printing Can-Touch.ru, the Institute of Prosthetics and Rehabilitation. G.A. Albrecht (St. Petersburg), Ingria Business Incubator, Autodesk, ImpactHub International Community of Social Entrepreneurs, etc.
The technology of manufacturing prosthetic parts using 3D printing has already been tested - 3 traction prosthetic fingers have been manufactured and installed. A prosthesis allows a person to perform the grip function. The product is pre-assembled and checked the work of all connections, and the final assembly is already on the patient's arm. Under the prosthesis, the sleeve is made of special medical thermoplastic, which, when heated in hot water, becomes flexible and it is easy for it to give the desired shape. After a few minutes, the material hardens and acts as a rigid frame to which the prosthesis is attached. The mass of the prototype ranges from 150 to 300 g, the grip force ranges from 0.5 to 4 N, which is more than enough to solve everyday problems.
')
Now the project is at the end of the zero stage, involving the certification of a mechanical (traction) prosthetic fingers. Next, it is planned to develop an electromechanical prosthesis of the hand, prosthetic forearm and prosthetic arm. At the final stage, a prosthetic control system will be developed using a head interface. The required amount of investment at the zero stage is estimated at 5 million rubles, at the first stage - 20 million rubles.
The final cost of an electromechanical prosthesis of a brush, presumably, will begin from 180 thousand rubles. The price will directly depend on the functionality of the prosthesis. There are from 6 to 20 types of grips and gestures, it is assumed the possibility of using a remote control system over wireless communication, the ability to install (or the presence in the basic version) of various functional modifications (built-in smart watches, remote control electronic devices at home, functional nozzles and much more).
According to the authors of the project, the most advanced prostheses are now manufactured using carbon fiber or expensive polymers, which provides them lightness and durability, but guarantees a very high cost. The use of 3D-printing will allow to make more ergonomic, and most importantly cheap dentures, by reducing the costs at the development stage. “Now the technology of 3D printing for these purposes is only beginning to be applied and has not yet become widely spread and commercialized in the prosthetic and orthopedic industry. But the potential of the technology is quite high, including by reducing the final cost of the product, as well as using the author's design to create a prosthesis, ”says Ilya Chekh, the ideological and technological inspirer of Motorika.
Moreover, according to the co-founder of the company Vasily Khlebnikov, in Russia, mechanical and electromechanical prostheses are practically not developed, and those that are still manufactured are unreasonably expensive and practically not improved. “Therefore, the product we create will be in demand due to low price, production speed, functionality and ergonomics, as well as wide availability,” Khlebnikov is sure.
The annual volume of the world market of prostheses is about 600 billion rubles, of Russia - 1.7 billion rubles. The overall growth of the global market for upper limb prostheses is estimated at 4-5% per year. In 2013, the market supply of products was at the level of 30% in the world and 15% in Russia. By 2019, the company plans to install more than 10,000 prostheses and exceed an annual turnover of up to 250 million rubles. Developers plan to take up to 5% of the world market and up to 30% of the Russian market by 2020. Today, the first 30 applications have already been received from patients.
Today, there are prospects for the full import substitution of existing upper limb prostheses on the market, due to poor quality and very limited functionality of analogues. The special feature of the prostheses being developed is the possibility of rapid modification with additional removable functional modules (various fastening modules for phones, tablets, etc., removable or embedded tools for technical works).
As possible risks to the project, the authors highlight bureaucratic delays in product certification, conservative prosthetics in Russia, limited access to the US and European markets due to the political situation and an increase in the cost of imported components.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/239539/
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