3D Printed Arms help give little girl a new lease of life

Check out the video above that depicts a little girl known as Emma, where this 2-year old girl was born with a rare disease known as arthrogryposis, and this particular condition actually makes it impossible for her to raise her arms without any external assistance. Thanks to the clever use of 3D printing, a hospital in Delaware managed to come up with a mobile plastic exoskeleton which enables Emma to make use of her arms in different ways.

Another big advantage of 3D printing would being able to come up with a brand new exoskeleton each time Emma outgrows it. Alternatively, it can also be printed again should the printed arm break, how now about that? Emma calls her device “magic arms.” The Stratasys 3D printer was instrumental in the creation of Emma’s jacket that holds her 3D printed arms as well. Making a 3D printed prosthesis sounds a whole lot better than churning out 3D printed assault rifles, right?

Edwin Kee
Categories: Medical
Tags: 3D