Self-taught father develops customized 3D
printed hydraulic prosthetic for two-year old amputee son, avoiding
wait for state-developed version
Design and production of 3D printed hydraulic
prosthetic enables cost savings of up to 76%, as well as time
savings in design and production of 90% compared to traditional
methods
Stratasys Ltd. (Nasdaq:SSYS), the 3D printing and additive
manufacturing solutions company, today announced that its
multi-material, multi-color PolyJet 3D printing technology has
enabled Ben Ryan, founder of Ambionics, to create a
fully-functioning 3D printed hydraulic prosthetic for his two year
old son, Sol.
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Two-year-old Sol with his
fully-functioning Stratasys 3D printed hydraulic prosthetic arm,
which enables him to move his thumb on his own (Photo: Business
Wire)
Researching infant development with prosthetics, Ben Ryan has
developed a unique prosthetic for infants to wear, enabling a more
natural acceptance of prosthetic arms for young children. An
unparalleled innovation within this sphere of the medical field,
the customized design and production of the 3D printed hydraulic
prosthetic has delivered cost savings of up to 76%, as well as time
savings in design and production of 90%, compared to traditional
methods of manufacture. This crucially permits prosthetics to be
used at an earlier developmental stage.
When Ben’s son, Sol, was born in March 2015, complications
resulted in the amputation of his lower left arm. Although able to
keep approximately one inch of his lower arm, Sol would have to
wait three years for a myoelectric prosthetic from the NHS*, and
one year before a cosmetic, non-functional prosthesis would be
fitted. Ben saw his son losing responsiveness and acceptance of his
left arm, and decided to act.
Having undertaken extensive research into infant development,
Ben saw that higher rejection rates occur when children are fit
after the age of two years** and that early fitting of functional
devices correlates with continued prosthetic use throughout
childhood. Another study*** also found that children fitted before
two years of age tend to accept their powered prosthesis more than
those fitted after two years. With this in mind, Ben first designed
a foam arm for his son, and later a hydraulic prosthetic, enabling
Sol to move his thumb on his own.
Ben designed and created his 3D printed hydraulic prosthetic arm
on the Stratasys Connex 3D Printer. First practicing with
prototypes of his design, Ben 3D printed flexible actuators and a
power-splitting unit (double acting helical bellow or DAHB) for the
prosthetic. According to Ben, the DAHB unit enables the wearer to
open and close the thumb in manual mode or with assistive power
(using compressed air or a hydraulic pump and reservoir), but the
grip continues to operate manually in the event of power
interruption.
“The success of my patented DAHB mechanism draws on the advanced
capabilities of the Stratasys Connex Printer – the ability to
combine rigid and soft materials in a single print was vital to the
success of the design,” explains Ben. “We were fortunate enough to
have access to this technology, which enabled us to 3D print a
prototype arm so quickly and cost-effectively. In founding
Ambionics, it’s now my goal to ensure that other limb deficient
children like my son are not faced with the current constraints and
delays of traditional prosthetic manufacture.”
To develop the design for the prosthetic, Ben relied on the use
of Autodesk Fusion 360.
“This is a very innovative and ambitious project and it’s been
inspiring to work with Ben on it,” says Paul Sohi, a product design
expert at Autodesk. “It is amazing that despite Ben having no real
background in product design, he’s effectively taught himself
enough to create something that will not only help his own son Sol,
but in Ambionics, potentially others facing the same challenges
too.”
As well as its lightweight 3D printed design that weighs less
than traditional myoelectric alternatives, the hydraulic prosthetic
is body-powered and enables infants to grow accustomed to their
“arm” earlier than traditional fittings. The ability to operate
without the need for any electronic devices or batteries is unique
to the Ambionics design and mitigates the risk of injury.
Scan of the arm to wearable prosthetic in just five
days
While the NHS takes 11 weeks to convert the plaster cast of the
arm into a wearable prosthetic, Ben Ryan was able to produce the
prosthetic in only five days. With the flexibility to keep the scan
on file, the digital copy allows replacement prosthetics to be
easily produced through 3D printing.
“Essentially the entire prosthetic is 3D printed,” Ben adds.
“Only Stratasys’ strong rubber-like and dissolvable support 3D
printing materials make production and use of the DAHB units
possible. The internal cavities are complex and it would be
impossible to remove the support material using mechanical means.
The materials must also be strong yet flexible as they are used to
transmit fluid pressure to operate the grip.”
Having patented its DAHB technology inside the prosthetic,
Ambionics is aiming to offer the service to healthcare providers
worldwide. Continuing its research and testing into infant
development with prosthetics, the company is starting a
Crowdfunding campaign on March 1st to enable medical device
usability trials, which are required before seeking authorization
to launch the product into the market.
“This case is indicative of 3D printing’s ability to improve
lives by overcoming the traditional barriers of low-volume
manufacturing,” says Scott Rader, General Manager, Healthcare
Solutions, Stratasys. “We continue to support and enable innovators
like Ben to bring customization to mainstream prosthetics
manufacture,” he concludes.
*UK National Health Service
**J Prosthet Orthot. 2005;17:119–124
***Toda M, Chin T, Shibata Y, Mizobe F (2015) Use of Powered
Prosthesis for Children with Upper Limb Deficiency at Hyogo
Rehabilitation Center. PLoS ONE 10(6): e0131746.
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0131746
For more than 25 years, Stratasys Ltd.
(NASDAQ:SSYS) has been a defining force and dominant player in
3D printing and additive manufacturing – shaping the way things are
made. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota and Rehovot, Israel,
the company empowers customers across a broad range of vertical
markets by enabling new paradigms for design and manufacturing. The
company’s solutions provide customers with unmatched design freedom
and manufacturing flexibility – reducing time-to-market and
lowering development costs, while improving designs and
communications. Stratasys subsidiaries include MakerBot and
Solidscape, and the Stratasys ecosystem includes 3D printers for
prototyping and production; a wide range of 3D printing materials;
parts on-demand via Stratasys Direct Manufacturing; strategic
consulting and professional services; and the Thingiverse and
GrabCAD communities with over 2 million 3D printable files for free
designs. With more than 2,700 employees and 1200 granted or pending
additive manufacturing patents, Stratasys has received more than 30
technology and leadership awards. Visit us online at:
www.stratasys.com or http://blog.stratasys.com/, and follow us on
LinkedIn.
Stratasys, Stratasys signet logo, Connex and PolyJet are
trademarks or registered trademarks of Stratasys Ltd. and/or its
subsidiaries or affiliates. Autodesk and Fusion 360 are trademarks
of Autodesk Inc. and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates.
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