Open AccessDesigning a 3D Printed Prosthetic to Meet Task-Specific Needs: A Case Study
Author(s) -
Daniel Panchik,
Gina C Feeney,
Angeline A Springer,
Cristina G VanBrocklin,
Hannah E Winters
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
the internet journal of allied health sciences and practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 1540-580X
DOI - 10.46743/1540-580x/2021.1963
Subject(s) - task (project management) , 3d printed , usability , field (mathematics) , software , identification (biology) , computer science , human–computer interaction , process (computing) , computer aided design , multimedia , engineering , biomedical engineering , systems engineering , botany , mathematics , pure mathematics , biology , programming language , operating system
The purpose of this case study is to explore the ease of utilizing task-specific design in computer-aided, open-source 3D printed design software. Two participants were recruited and assessed using subjective and objective measures to guide the prosthetic designs. Hand measurements were obtained and entered into computer software to create computer-aided design drawings of the digit prosthetics. Field notes were taken throughout this process by the interdisciplinary team and analyzed to address the ease of utilizing this technology. Objective assessments showed that both participants experienced decreased expansion, grip, and prehension strength of their affected hands. Semi-structured interviews with the participants identified several meaningful tasks that a prosthetic device could improve function in and offered valuable guidance in the development of the prosthetic designs. Analysis of the field notes allowed for the identification of six domains within the research questions. Those domains include appropriate assessment utilization, time management, participant responsiveness, clinical reasoning, common language, and available resources. The successful collaboration of occupational therapy (OT) and engineering disciplines resulted in customized 3D printed finger prosthetic designs to meet participants' specified tasks.