Instalimb, Tokyo, a manufacturer of 3D-printed prosthetic devices, is partnering with Jaipur Foot to create O&P devices. Jaipur Foot is part of the India-based Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti (BMVSS) that has provided rehabilitation to more than 1.78 million people by providing artificial limbs, calipers, and other aids and appliances at no cost to patients.
Instalimb will use its 3D printing and machine learning (artificial intelligence) technology to supply prosthetic sockets to the Jaipur Foot Organization. The Japanese government is funding the project.
“We receive enquiries for Jaipur limbs from amputees across the world. However, our challenge was that using the current technology, we cannot help a patient unless he/she comes to our center. This is logistically not possible for amputees living in distant places or other countries. Through our partnership with Instalimb, we are looking at the feasibility of remote prosthetic fabrication with the ultimate goal of making prostheses accessible to all,” said Pooja Mukul, MD, technical director of the Jaipur Foot Organization.
Instalimb recently announced that it raised 445 million yen (over $3 million) in Series A funding in Japan to enter the Indian market.