3D Printing Prosthetics for Wounded Veterans

1,645. That’s the number. One life forever changed by the loss of a limb through military service, each and every day for the last four-and-a-half years. That equals 1,645 of our military’s men and women who have lost all of a hand or foot or part of an arm or leg while serving in Iraq or Afghanistan. Most of these were the result of injuries suffered from Improvised Explosive Devices – IEDs – and as this is one of the insurgents’ weapons of choice, we can unfortunately expect for this number to continue to climb.

As you can imagine, re-learning to move, function, and live life after losing a limb is a challenge, but here at Auburn, faculty and students are teaming up to make that transition a little smoother. For the past six years, Scott Renner with the Center for Disability Research and Service, and Jerrod Windham, a professor in Industrial Design, have built a partnership that connects students in Industrial Design and Rehabilitation to people facing challenges from disabilities. Their focus: designing and prototyping assistive technologies. 

Not familiar with assistive technology? You probably know someone who is. If you wear glasses or contacts, you benefit from assistive technology, or AT. AT is any device that helps its user to manage a physical limitation. Prosthetic limbs also fit into this category. And we would like to make prosthetics as comfortable and functional as glasses and contact lenses.

In 2011, thanks to a connection with Dr. Joellen Sefton of the School of Kinesiology, the group started working with veterans and quickly learned that a number of problems exist with the prosthetics available to those who have lost a limb. They are heavy and cumbersome. They may not function well, and as a residual limb can change over time, fit becomes an issue causing discomfort. 

We think the men and women who served our country deserve something better, and you can make that happen. We would like to work with veterans facing these challenges and use modern 3D printing techniques to create better solutions. 3D printing opens up a whole world of construction methods, geometries, and speed for creating prototypes, and your gift to buy two 3D printers and supplies can make this a reality.

Please give today and share this opportunity with others.