Cuellar Juan Sebastian, Smit Gerwin, Breedveld Paul, Zadpoor Amir Abbas, Plettenburg Dick
Department of Biomechanical Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands.
Proc Inst Mech Eng H. 2019 Nov;233(11):1122-1131. doi: 10.1177/0954411919874523. Epub 2019 Sep 6.
In developing countries, the access of amputees to prosthetic devices is very limited. In a way to increase accessibility of prosthetic hands, we have recently developed a new approach for the design and 3D printing of non-assembly active hand prostheses using inexpensive 3D printers working on the basis of material extrusion technology. This article describes the design of our novel 3D-printed hand prosthesis and also shows the mechanical and functional evaluation in view of its future use in developing countries. We have fabricated a hand prosthesis using 3D printing technology and a non-assembly design approach that reaches certain level of functionality. The mechanical resistance of critical parts, the mechanical performance, and the functionality of a non-assembly 3D-printed hand prosthesis were assessed. The mechanical configuration used in the hand prosthesis is able to withstand typical actuation forces delivered by prosthetic users. Moreover, the activation forces and the energy required for a closing cycle are considerably lower as compared to other body-powered prostheses. The non-assembly design achieved a comparable level of functionality with respect to other body-powered alternatives. We consider this prosthetic hand a valuable option for people with arm defects in developing countries.
在发展中国家，截肢者获得假肢装置的机会非常有限。为了增加假肢手的可及性，我们最近开发了一种新方法，用于设计和3D打印非组装式主动手假肢，该方法使用基于材料挤出技术的廉价3D打印机。本文描述了我们新型3D打印手假肢的设计，并鉴于其未来在发展中国家的使用展示了机械和功能评估。我们使用3D打印技术和非组装设计方法制造了一种达到一定功能水平的手假肢。评估了非组装式3D打印手假肢关键部件的机械阻力、机械性能和功能。手假肢中使用的机械结构能够承受假肢使用者施加的典型驱动力。此外，与其他体动力假肢相比，闭合循环所需的驱动力和能量要低得多。非组装设计在功能上与其他体动力替代品达到了相当的水平。我们认为这种假肢手对于发展中国家有手臂缺陷的人来说是一个有价值的选择。
