Researchers use 3D-printer to create new “magic arms” for disabled toddler (VIDEO)
Researchers at the University of Glasgow suggested in a paper published on April 15, 2012, that 3D printers could be used in the future to create customized drugs making healthcare access more efficient and affordable.
We knew 3D printing technology was cool – but for a 2-year-old with a congenital disease that has fused her joints, a 3D-printed "exoskeleton" is allowing her to use her arms for the very first time.
DigitalTrends.com reported that medical researchers at Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children used a Stratays Dimension 3D printer to build the plastic supports, which help young Emma use her arms as a normal child might.
The arms are printed from the same plastic that's used in LEGO building toys, says DigitalTrends.
Further, as the plastic supports are made using a 3D printer, it's convenient to swap out broken parts, as well as scale the "arms" up as Emma grows.
Read more: How a geek dad and his 3D printer aim to liberate LEGOs
High-tech treatments aren't out of the norm for the Delaware hospital: Hospital and Health Networks Magazine named it among the "most wired" hospitals and health systems in the USA.
Watch video of the remarkable "magic arms" below.
The story you just read is available for free because thousands of listeners and readers like you generously support our nonprofit newsroom. Every day, reporters and producers at The World are hard at work bringing you human-centered news from across the globe. But we can’t do it without you: We need your support to ensure we can continue this work for another year.
Make a gift today, and you’ll get us one step closer to our goal of raising $25,000 by June 14. We need your help now more than ever!