This 3D Printed Cast Could Be The Cast Of The Future

If you’ve ever had the misfortune of wearing a cast, you will know that for the next couple of weeks, expect it to itch and smell terrible. This is because you won’t have access to the rest of your skin meaning it’d be near impossible to scratch that itch, plus the fact that you’re not allowed to get it wet means bathing that area becomes pretty damn hard too.

However this is something that Scott Summit thought should be addressed after he tore a ligament in his arm, which is when he came up with the idea of 3D printing wearable casts. It also helped that Summit is the senior director of functional design at Bespoke, a company that develops prosthetics and braces, so safe to say that is a well-deserved title.

So instead of a relying on a traditional cast made from fiberglass, Summit scanned his arm and created a 3D model of it, which in turn allowed him to create a very specific cast designed just for him. As you can see in the photos, this is a bare minimal cast which protects the main injury area, but at the same time allowing the skin to breath to avoid any discomfort.

It is also incredibly thin as it measures at 5mm. Ultimately this 3D printed cast allowed Summit to go about his day normally and perform tasks such as showering without worrying about getting the cast wet, apply scar reduction cream, and wear normal clothes without it being too obvious.

No word on how much it would cost, but it sounds like the benefits could be well worth it, not to mention it only takes seconds to take the cast on and off, versus a traditional cast that would take a longer time.

Tyler Lee
Categories: General, Medical
Tags: 3D Printing