Feb.1, 2015 | By Alec

We’ve already known that 3D printing technology is capable of presenting highly inventive solutions for medical problems. But one Canadian man, Cornelis Quiring, is proving to all of us that 3D printed medical applications aren’t just limited to laboratories and hospitals. For he has used 3D printing to find a solution for his own unusual affliction, emphasizing that we can use a regular 3D printer for a lot more than planters and Star Wars statues.

As Cornelius explained, he has a suffered from an unusual affliction to several of his muscles and particularly his right hand for most of his life. "It was harvest season and my father decided to take along 3 year old Cornelius. We were going to help a few of my uncles gather the season’s yield of cotton. [I Was] standing on the outside deck of the cotton picker, when my uncle proceeded to drive over a stump hidden amongst the crop. The machine tipped over and landed on top of me," he said.

Fortunately, Cornelius got of rather light when you consider he was only a little boy. Specifically, the impact of the e heavy machine tore an entire nerve from his spine, while it overstretched three others. Even years later, this damage left him without a right pec, lat and tricep muscle. ‘But the biggest impact has been very limited use my right hand,’ he added. As can be seen in the video below, while he has some movement in his right hand, the muscles quickly freeze up, making it almost impossible for him to normally use it.

While he could get surgery for this problem, doctors strongly advised against it; as it’s such an old problem it could cause serious other complications. In early 2014, Cornelius therefore decided on the only realistic remaining option: to restore the use of his hand by developing an assistive device. "I am designing an assistive glove to compensate for the lost function of my right hand. More than restoring use of my right hand, it needs to be beautiful. It must be fashionable and spark conversation of "what is that" and not "what happened”," he added.

This turned out to be quite a project, perhaps in part because Cornelius hasn’t been educated in physiotherapy and in partly because he has a rather unique problem. He tried several contraptions, including a home-made glove made from tape and a bungee cord and a special glove worn by stroke victims. While none of these options were satisfactory, he eventually came across an interesting prosthetic made in South Korea, that controlled movement through an exoskeleton setup.

It looked to be exactly what Cornelius was looking for, as it followed the entire range of hand motions and could strengthen the fingers of the right hand. All the different components were designed by himself, and then subsequently 3D printed by the non-profit 3D printer at the Toronto Tool Library.

While he started work on this particular exo-skeleton only two months ago, Cornelius has already noticed a lot of difference in his right hand’s capacity to move. As you can see in the video below, it's a huge difference in comparison to the original situation. Cornelius even estimates that, after a process of fine tuning and spacing, he’s managed to a motion range of approximately 85% of a normal hand. Isn’t that impressive? And while it’s a matter of taste, it certainly doesn’t look terribly unfashionable.

As there’s still room for improvement, Cornelius is planning to continue his experimentation until he reaches the goal line of 100%. If you’re interested in following his progress, keep an eye on his YouTube page or his blog here. It’s certainly a very interesting and inspiring project, that shows you just how far you can get with determination, creativity and a 3D printer.

 

 

Posted in 3D Printing Applications

 

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