Typical prosthetics produced by the medical supply industry can cost thousands of dollars, meaning that they are simply impossible to acquire in many places around the world. But a solid, functioning 3D printed prosthetic can cost as little as $15 in materials and has enabled many people in need of prosthetics to get them for little or no money. For that reason, engineer Sashi Jain organized a group of 250 Intel employees to produce 100 3D printed prosthetic hands in order to, together with the e-NABLE prosthetic community, ship to Haiti for those in need.
Jain was initially inspired by a child named Juan, whom he met at the Mini Maker Faire in Portland, OR. Juan was missing digits, as well as part of the wrist, on his left hand. Jain tried to convince Juan to try using an e-NABLE-style prosthetic. While Juan was reluctant to use the prosthetic, Jain would eventually convince him to give it a try. After trying it out, Juan decided that he wanted one for himself under one condition: that Jain model the design after Spider-Man. After some false starts and failed attempts, Jain settled on the open source Raptor Reloaded design from e-NABLE. Jain immediately noticed the difference in Juan, “He was like a totally different person. It was a really neat change to see,” Jain said, explaining that kids with 3D printed prosthetics often come to feel like superheroes. “The prosthetics are interesting in that they give back fingers, but they also give back a sense of self-worth and confidence.” Juan’s parents also noted that, in addition to the improved self-esteem, Juan started to get better grades and show an interest in engineering.
Inspired by this and other stories of 3D printed prosthetics, Jain organized, with other Intel Employees – including, Dan Mcculley, Chris Ross, Rebecca Johnson, Matthias Giessler, and Tim Talerico – to mass produce 100 prosthetic hands. The first step was to download models that ranged in size from toddler adult. Then, Jain was able to take advantage of over 60 Intel-owned 3D printers from around the world to mass produce the 3D printable parts. After purchasing hardware kits, screws velcro, and other materials, the crew organized over 250 volunteers from Intel to put the prosthetic hands together in teams of 2 and 3 to put the robotic hands together in just two hours.
Once the prosthetic hands were completed, Jain and Intel worked with the Enable Community Foundation, which backs e-NABLE, to send the prosthetics to Haiti. The project was funded partially by a grant of $100,000 from the Genesis Generation Foundation, with additional funding from Intel and the e-NABLE community. This project by Sashi Jain and Intel is yet another great example of the fun ability and usefulness of 3D printing, as well as its ability to enhance and change people’s lives.