A 3D-Printed Exoskeleton Made From Lego Plastic Changes Lives for Children - simpsondincovizincy

Mentation you've heard everything close to 3D printing? Think once more: This exoskeleton for disabled children is printed from the same plastic atomic number 3 Lego bricks. The exoskeleton, called WREX, helps children who have limited use of their arms to perform each day tasks so much American Samoa feeding themselves, drawing, and playacting games with friends.

In the inspiring video, you can see Emma, who suffers from a congenital discipline known as Arthrogryposis that affects her joints and muscles. Emma divine two scientists from Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Infirmary for Children in Wilmington, Delaware to exchange the usual alloy with the lightweight ABS plastic.

The WREX is not a new device: Disabled individuals who induce difficultness using their arms can cause use of a metallike WREX, which is usually also attached to a wheelchair. However, the metal WREX is also heavy and clumsy for small children, who sometimes consume perfectly good expend of their legs and have no ask for a wheelchair.

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The inventiveness of the 3D-printed WREX is in its light burden, as well arsenic its easy and prompt output method. Once the plan is set come out of the closet, the WREX folks can photographic print parts over and over again again, while adjusting them to the child's growing body. If a part breaks, the researchers rear end make a new cardinal in no time–nary unnecessary hauls for re-adjustments with the child.

Without the WREX, Emma can't lift her hands up to her face or use them to handle items before of her. Now Emma can give usance of her arms almost look-alike a normal tiddler, and the WREX grows with her as she develops. Currently, 15 children are using the 3D printed interpretation of WREX, including Emma.

[Stratasys via Core77]