Prosthetic Hands From 3-D Printers

[j44ke]

This is cool. What I would call the jujitsu school of design. Take what a process does well or take what (in this case) kids think is cool and use that as the energy to propel a design's acceptance and use. Rather than try to make a prosthetic look like a thing it will never be (a real hand,) go ahead and embrace the whole cyborg concept, a concept kids have very little aversion to (and may in fact view as cooler than a real hand!) and develop something kids will use.

[David Tollefson]

Very cool.

[j44ke]

The organization that does this is E-nable. Here is their website: Enabling The Future | A Global Network Of Passionate Volunteers Using 3D Printing To Give The World A "Helping Hand."

They organize volunteers through their E-nable Community Foundation: Enable Community Foundation | Changing the world one hand at a time.

If I am not mistaken in my reading of the website, it looks like there is a way for groups to donate assembly time and assemble hands for kids in other countries. I can't really tell how that works specifically, but there are contact email addresses on the foundation website for individuals and groups.

Their legal work is done by my wife's previous firm, so I might do a little legwork to find out more about the organization and report back here if I find anything pertinent. Seems like a good concept to support at least.

[Mike Mcdermid]

I once did one of these Every vet back from Iraq really wanted it chrome plating like the terminator, i think this is the best use of 3d printing ,giving people mobility using any technology is a plus, but this really is cool