RAPID PROTOTYPING OF A CUSTOM UPPER LIMB BIONIC PROSTHESIS

Abstract

The field of bionics has shown rapid and notable improvements in the recent years due to technological advances in various fields of medicine and engineering. We have reached a point where upper and lower limb exoprosthesis can reproduce most of the fundamental movements of a biological arm or leg, some of the newer models even having the function of producing movements which would be impossible for the human body to re-create. The aim of this paper is to design and optimize an upper limb bionic exoprosthesis by using patient's parameters and morphological dimensions. Due to the latest trends in additive manufacturing, such a prototype can be used as a template which can be modified according to the morphological landmarks of each individual, so that it can be as close as possible to the patient’s anatomy being used as an alternative for people from disadvantaged areas, due to the low production costs.

Keywords

• bionics
• exoprosthesis
• additive manufacturing
• design
• rapid prototyping