Browsing by Tema "3d printed"

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An Affordable AI-Driven and 3D-Printed Personalized Myoelectric Prosthesis: Design, Development, and Assessment
(Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, 2025) Enzo Romero; José Gómez García; Michael W. Parra; Sebastian Caballa; Alejandro M. Saldarriaga; Edson F. Luque; Dante J. Rodriguez; Victoria E. Abarca; Dante A. Elías
Upper-limb amputations significantly affect independence and quality of life, particularly in low-income regions where advanced prosthetic technology is costly and lacks adequate personalization. Conventional myoelectric prostheses, while offering functional restoration, have limited adaptability and high cost. This study presents a personalized transradial myoelectric prosthesis that combines additive manufacturing and Artificial Intelligence (AI) control, offering an accessible and high-performance solution. The prosthesis design utilizes additive manufacturing (3D printing) for anatomical personalization via 3D scanning and parametric modeling. An AI-driven control system utilizes machine learning to classify electromyography (EMG) signals in real-time, specifically detecting the user’s intention to perform flexion or extension movements, and tailoring responses to individual users. Evaluation employed the "Brief Activity Measure for Upper Limb Amputees (BAM-ULA)" protocol with nine participants with transradial amputations. Trials with the nine participants yielded an average BAM-ULA score of 7.4 out of 10 (Standard Deviation (SD) 0.7). This demonstrated robust functional performance, comparable to high-end commercial devices in initial tests. Gross motor tasks saw 100% success rates; fine motor tasks, 22.2%. Integrating AI and additive manufacturing resulted in an affordable, high-performance, personalized prosthesis. This work highlights how localized digital manufacturing enables accessible customization for users in low-resource settings. The main novelty is this validated integration of personalized additive manufacturing and adaptive AI control in an affordable transradial prosthesis addressing the needs of developing countries.
Design and Prototyping of Low Cost, 3D Printed Body Powered Hand Prosthesis for Transradial Amputees in Bolivia
(2023) Fabio Rodrigo Oporto-Tejerina; Silvia Cecilia Tapia-Siles
Hand prostheses are crucial in improving the quality of life for individuals with upper limb amputations, enabling them to regain functional capabilities and reintegrate into society. However, in countries like Bolivia, the elevated prices of commercial hand prostheses and their complex acquisition represent a major barrier for the 15.000 individuals in the country who need them. With the development of myoelectric prostheses, options for users are limited to more expensive models each time, thus body-powered prostheses have slowly stopped being developed despite their advantages concerning weight, force, and self-power. On the other hand, in the last few years, many prostheses have been developed taking advantage of the recent accessibility of 3D printers. In this work, we analyze the general problems of the distinct types of prostheses and define parameters of design, actuation, and material, finishing with a trans-radial hand prosthesis which is body-powered, hydraulic, printed in rigid and flexible filaments and contains a limited number of external elements to provide Bolivians a local, low-cost option with light and simple use, and accessible maintenance in the most remote areas in the country. The hand prosthesis, weighing 338 grams and 545 grams with the actuator, was evaluated with a portion of the SHAP (South Hampton Assessment Procedure) test with the help of a volunteer user who accomplished half of the tasks selected. The cost of the developed prosthesis is 33 USD.
Mechanical Properties of Thermoformed and Direct- Printed Aligner Materials After Immersion in 37 °C Water: A 14-Day In Vitro Study
(2025) Rodrigo Oyonarte; Isabel Lagos; F. L.; С. Б. Цыбенова; Alberto Real; Seung Soon Jang; Hi Won Jeong; Jiho Lee; Jin Hong Min; Tarek M. Elshazly
<title>Abstract</title> This study compared the mechanical properties of direct-printed dental aligner materials made from 3D-printed resins TC-85, TR-07, and TA-28 with those of two conventional thermoformed materials—Zendura-A and Zendura-Flx—to evaluate their performance under simulated physiological conditions. Test specimens were immersed in a 37°C water bath for 12 different durations: 0, 5, and 30 min; 1, 3, 6, and 9 h; and 1, 3, 7, and 14 d. Tensile tests were performed using a universal testing machine (Zwick Z010, Zwick, Ulm, Germany) to measure the Young’s modulus (MPa), elongation at break (%), and tensile force (N) at strains of 1%, 2%, and 3%. After 14 d of immersion, TC-85, TA-28, and TR-07 exhibited forces in the range of 4.04–7.24 N at 1% strain and 7.30–13.48 N at 3% strain, while Zendura A and Zendura FLX exhibited forces of 26.26–32.91 N at 1% strain and 32.91–65.23 N at 3% strain. The Young’s modulus and UTS results exhibit a trend similar to that of the tensile force. Direct-printed aligners exhibited a 25.3% (TC-85) increase in elongation at break after 30 min, whereas thermoformed aligners exhibited a 5.5% reduction. Direct-printed resins, such as TC-85, TA-28, and TR-07, with temperature-responsive viscoelastic behavior, exhibited statistically significant differences from thermoformed aligner materials, delivering lower mechanical loads that could favor a more suitable orthodontic force profile for clear aligners.