Citing the time spent on manually fitting prosthetic devices by trained specialists, a research team published preliminary results for an automated 3D fitting and manufacturing pipeline for a personalized, low-cost prosthetic hand that requires minimal manual adjustment. Users can choose between body-powered, EMG control and foot control interfaces, and sensory feedback devices. The prosthesis can also be personalized in appearance and has advanced object-gripping capability, according the paper.
The method requires a 3D printer, a RealSense camera, and basic mechanical components and tools for assembly. The user’s unaffected hand is scanned and tailored using CAD software and converted to an STL file for printing.
The open-access paper, “Scan-Driven Fully-Automated Pipeline for Personalized, 3D Printed Low-Cost Prosthetic Hand,” was published in engrXiv.
