3D Print Ability: Leveraging 3D Printing Technology for Prosthetics Production in Developing Countries

Hundreds of thousands of endemically poor children are in need of quality prostheses. Current manual processes of prosthetic production are labour-intensive and slow. Moreover, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates a shortfall of 40,000 trained prosthetic technicians in
low/middle income countries. Without the enhanced mobility provided by prosthetics, these children suffer from a dramatically reduced quality of life, lacking access to education, potential future employment, and social ostracism. Over the last two years, the Critical Making Lab (Faculty of Information, University of Toronto) and global NGO cbm Canada have been collaborating on the development of 3D printing solutions for use in the developing world, developing a complete software and hardware tool chain for the production of lower-limb prosthetic sockets (Phase 1).
Phase 2 of this research project will explore improvements to our hardware and software solutions.

Faculty Supervisor:

Matt Ratto

Student:

Partner:

Christian Blind Mission International

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Health and Related Sciences & Technology

University:

University of Toronto

Program: