www.3ders.org

Sep 24, 2015 | By Tess

Just over a year ago a medical tech start-up utilizing 3D scanning and printing technology to create 3D printed orthotics for children launched a crowdfunding campaign to gather funding for their ambitious project. The company is UK based Andiamo, and now, a year later, it has been selected as one of Richard Branson’s “one to watch” companies and its founders have been invited to his exclusive Necker Island residence, where more funding opportunities will likely present themselves.

Andiamo was founded by two parents, Naveed and Samiya Parvez, in 2012 after their son Diamo, who suffered from cerebral palsy passed away. Throughout his short life, Diamo had undergone several fittings for specialized orthotics, which, when ready, were often ill fitting as he had outgrown them. The frustration and dejection that went along with the process the family endured prompted Naveed and Samiya to start their own venture to try and improve children’s orthotics.

After hearing the inspiring story of a young girl whose 3D printed exoskeleton helped her to walk, Naveed and Samiya started to look into 3D printing technology to see if it could help their cause. They had found their solution to creating cost and time efficient orthotics.

Today, Andiamo continues to work with families and their afflicted children by using 3D scanning technology to create a biomechanical model of the child’s body and subsequently 3D printing a brace designed to fit the child in question. As stated on their website, they can have a orthosis designed and produced within 48 hours.

 Andiamo’s additively manufactured orthosis production process is a potentially revolutionary one for the medical world, though because of the rigid nature of institutions such as the National Health Service in the United Kingdom, the company has had a difficult time breaking their model into larger scale health systems.

Naveed Parvez explains, “Currently all NHS decisions are cost driven, yet unfortunately they don’t take into account the entire pathway cost. So the decision is about how much the product costs, rather than how much money could be saved by delivering a better service.”

Currently, over two million people use the NHS’ orthotics service in the UK, and worldwide the number of people who need an orthotic is over 100 million. It is not only people suffering from cerebral palsy that need them, as several other conditions such as spina bifida, a variety of spinal injuries, strokes, and even side effects from chemotherapy often require orthotics for treatment.

Naveed and Samiya are hoping to help people, especially children, suffering from these afflictions by offering them a cost effective and timely 3D printed orthotics as well as to hopefully tighten the gap between institutions such as the NHS and medical tech startups. “There is not a lack of funding but a lack of imagination. Risk capital is going to iterations of the same ideas with minor tweaks,” says Naveed Parvez.

In spite of the difficulties of trying to break into and being recognized by the NHS, Andiamo has also received lots of support from the tech community at large, as people have offered their skills and time for free to help further the cause.

“We've gotten huge amounts of support and pro bono work including people have gone on to join our team,” says Parvez, “We hadn't fully appreciated how big our vision was until we started to get people offering to work for us for free. It has been a huge privilege to have such talented people who have not just faith in us but willing to help us materially.”

This support seems to be paying off, as just recently the Parvez couple were featured on Talent International’s “one to watch 2016” and were subsequently invited to visit Richard Branson’s Necker Island home in the British Virgin Islands. The trip will not be a simple holiday however, as Naveed and Samiya will have the opportunity to spread their vision to some of the world’s most influential business people.

Parvez explains of the opportunity, “The prize is validation of our vision from a group of judges who are disruptors in the true sense. Necker Island is a huge opportunity as we ramp up for funding in late 2016.”

Andiamo has received recognition elsewhere as well, as they were placed in Tech All Stars’ top twelve European startups, won the IBM SmartCamp UK, and have received several other prizes and grants since their inception.

For now, Andiamo foresees fitting at least 15 families with orthotics to last for three months. While still quite a small-scale venture, they hope to soon open up onto an international market. “Our mission is to solve this problem globally and to do that we have to attract the type of funders that are going to be with us for the long term,” Parvez explains.

Andiamo is a beacon for 3D printing technologies within the medical field. Driven by the want to help relieve families of the suffering they themselves went through, Naveed and Samiya Parvez have developed an inspiring and innovative use for 3D scanning and printing. They, like us here at 3Ders, see the future of medical developments and 3D printing as one.

 

 

Posted in 3D Printing Applications

 

 

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Jennifer F wrote at 12/30/2015 9:24:30 PM:

i would also like to know how i can reach them, or their businness. I also have a child who needs help badly and i hope they can help me my e-mailis jenf1320@gmail.com.

Anuj Arora wrote at 12/30/2015 9:07:30 AM:

Can I have contact details who can help my daughter who is suffering from some ortho problem. Due to which she can't walk. Please email me on aroraanuj1990@gmail.com.

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