Prosthetics Become Customizable With 3D Laser Scanning
Serving veterans in a new way
Many people need prosthetics, but many of them are not comfortable to wear. The process is tedious, hard to make, and is not always something a patient wants to go through. Engineering students in Zenica in Bosnia have made it a goal to create comfortable custom-made prosthetics for veterans who need them. They are able to achieve custom-made prosthetics with the help of 3D laser scanning devices. This makes the process a lot more comfortable, less time, and more accurate than any previous ways to make prosthetics.
Many doctors all over the world are adopting 3D laser scanning, and this can truly help people want to get prosthetics more. They constantly have to be readjusted to be comfortable; once they start pinching or hurting, they need a new one. To get new ones, it requires molds of the limb, or where it used to be, long hours spent with the doctor, and wait time while everything gets processed.
The process can be simplified with the help of 3D laser scanning and printing. Though 3D printers are not meant to mass produce anything, it can help more people get what they need faster. Instead of sending information overseas to be made by someone else, they can do everything right in the lab. It cannot mass produce, but by helping one person at a time very quickly, more veterans in need can get the limbs they deserve.
How does 3D laser scanning work for prosthetics
Typically, a doctor would have to go to a patient and collect the information by hand. This can be extremely uncomfortable for the patient, and this can be tedious work for the doctor. By adopting 3D laser scanning, no touching has to be done at all. This process is non-invasive, and there are no adverse effects of using this technology on a patient.
A doctor or whoever takes the scans needs to use a handheld device and aim it over the space where the limb is missing. This will capture information like size, width, dimension, and more. If they want the prosthetics to be completely even with the other, they can capture data on the limb that’s still there and compare the two.
The information is saved in the cloud and sent to an editing system where adjustments can be made before printing. Once the final copy is complete, it can be printed, and adjustments after that will need to be made by hand, but it won’t be as much as making the entire prosthetic by hand.
3D laser scanning has taken all of the tedious work out of making a prosthetic and replaced it with an easier way to create these necessary pieces. It is highly accurate and more comfortable because it is specially made. It takes uncomfortableness out of the doctors’ appointments.
Final thoughts
Right now, many people are wary of trying out this latest technology. Still, as people see the benefits of 3D laser scanning, more people will use it. This can help create more ways for veterans to get prosthetics and at a better pace because they won’t need as many adjustments over time. This can help many of the retired soldiers in Bosnia and help them feel whole again.