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The $100 3D-Printed Artificial Limb

Posted by Soulskill on from the i'll-order-a-dozen dept.

harrymcc writes "In 2012, TIME wrote about Daniel Omar, a 14-year-old in South Sudan who lost both arms to a bomb dropped by his own government. Mick Ebeling of Not Impossible Labs read the story, was moved — and went to Sudan, where he set up a 3D printing lab which can produce an artificial arm for $100. Omar and others have received them, and Ebeling hopes that other organizations around the world will adopt his open-source design to help amputees, many of whom will never receive more conventional prosthetics."

55 of 86 comments (clear)

  1. Fancy that... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Someone producing a medical device at basically the cost of goods price.

    1. Re:Fancy that... by Tablizer · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Don't worry, big pharma will lobby for and get regulations against anything so convenient and affordable.

      --
      Table-ized A.I.
    2. Re:Fancy that... by SumDog · · Score: 1

      Well I doubt it's near the quality of an engineered, titanium prosthetic. But it's a start, and if the plans are open source, other designers could improve them, on their own time, for free, out of the kindness of their hearts.

      Over time, we could even see ABS plastic prosthetics with the same level of engineering as the $100k versions, and maybe by then we'll even see cheaper 3D metal printers and home built CNC machines. It could change everything.

      Of course, it'd be nice if we could stop seeing poor people in poor countries not losing limbs due to bombs, landmines, military strikes and predator drones.

    3. Re:Fancy that... by interkin3tic · · Score: 1

      Lets not forget lawyers suing 3D printers into oblivion for medical malpractice. Hmm... perhaps we can convince those lawyers to keep big copyright from killing it first. Maybe we could do the same thing with gun manufacturers, get them to keep congress from passing laws against 3D printed guns (to immediately be applied to anything else they might want to ban) so that the gun manufacturers can sue after someone prints up one of their copyrighted guns.

      Then we get the two remaining groups to somehow take each other out.

      The victor from that fight will be killed by gorillas who will die off in the following winter.

    4. Re:Fancy that... by magarity · · Score: 2

      There's not that much of a business regulatory environment in South Sudan.

    5. Re:Fancy that... by mark-t · · Score: 1

      How can "Big Pharma" stomp on this, exactly? There's no "company" to buy out or try to shut down.

      --
      File under 'M' for 'Manic ranting'
    6. Re:Fancy that... by BoberFett · · Score: 1

      No, but that has never stopped the FDA before. They'll just send in the FDA SWAT team to bust this lawbreaker, creating untested medical equipment. The nerve!

    7. Re:Fancy that... by John.Banister · · Score: 1

      In Africa?
      An FDA SWAT team, sir, in Africa?

    8. Re:Fancy that... by Impy+the+Impiuos+Imp · · Score: 1

      > Don't worry, big pharma will lobby for and get regulations against anything so convenient and affordable.

      When a similar article first got posted about this a few months back, I sarcastically suggested he be thrown in jail for not getting permission for human experiments. I got downmodded, no doubt by people who love the combination of having an FDA and deliberately looking the other way in warm-and-fuzzy cases like this.

      I guess it's how you phrase it.

      --
      (-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.
    9. Re:Fancy that... by mark-t · · Score: 1

      Except it's not a crime to make an unapproved artificial limb for yourself.

      --
      File under 'M' for 'Manic ranting'
    10. Re:Fancy that... by mark-t · · Score: 1

      But how would that stop anyone from making an artificial limb for themselves, exactly? Or are you suggesting a prohibition against self-made artificial limbs similar to prohibitions against 3d printed guns? We all know how effective *that* law is....

      --
      File under 'M' for 'Manic ranting'
    11. Re:Fancy that... by BoberFett · · Score: 1

      There are laws against doing all manner of things to yourself.

    12. Re:Fancy that... by BoberFett · · Score: 1

      I find it amusing that you believe the US federal government believes in any limit to their reach. Many events of the last decade indicate otherwise.

    13. Re:Fancy that... by BoberFett · · Score: 1

      Nobody is making these limbs themselves. Africans don't own 3D printers. Somebody else is making it for them.

    14. Re:Fancy that... by mark-t · · Score: 1

      I believe the topic at hand had moved to covering the case of somebody doing this in America, where "Big Pharma" could possibly enjoy at least some control. In Africa it's a moot point, since it's not illegal there.

      --
      File under 'M' for 'Manic ranting'
  2. Reado (Immutable version of a typo) by Tablizer · · Score: 1

    I misread it as "Artificial Lamb". I was thinking, that's pretty lame if you are too much of a loser to get the real thing.

    --
    Table-ized A.I.
    1. Re:Reado (Immutable version of a typo) by Hatta · · Score: 1

      $100 is too expensive for an artificial lamb.

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      Give me Classic Slashdot or give me death!
  3. I didn't RTFA or TFS by dale.furno · · Score: 3

    but I'm going to go ahead and say that there is some organization that believes it has the right to require testing, certification or some other factor that will increase the $100 limb to the $10,000 limb.

    1. Re:I didn't RTFA or TFS by PSVMOrnot · · Score: 4, Informative

      The beautiful thing about this is that while such certification and testing may be required of manufacturers and distributors of such products, there is nothing that can be done to stop you from building one yourself or with a few friends.

      There are others who have also traveled this path, and a number of open source designs available for anyone to have a go at: Robohand @ Thingiverse, Prosthetics @ Thingiverse

    2. Re:I didn't RTFA or TFS by MikeOnBike · · Score: 1

      Unless you can be sure that an artificial limb is safe for the workplace it's not going to have much value outside of novelty.

      Really? Ask the guy who can now pickup or hold something, where he couldn't before, if that is a novelty.

    3. Re:I didn't RTFA or TFS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      Having worked with prosthetics for years as an occularist and training to make prosthtic limbs, I know just how complex they can become.

      There are two main categories of limbs, AK (or AE) and BK (or BE) depending on if the patient's limbs were removed Above the Knee (/elbow) or Below the Knee (/elbow). AK prosthetics are MUCH more complex than BK due to having to produce a joint that locks when needed then unlocks when needed. It's not simple at all. Arms are much the same, adding an elbow joint greatly increases the complexity and cost to produce a working prosthetic.

      Remember this: The prosthetic was produced for $100 in parts. That does not cover the time it took to produce the device. It doesn't cover the cost of the machine that produced the device. It didn't cover the cost of the education that the manufacturer was required to have (If he was working in the US prior to this) and it didn't cover any of the training that's needed to be able to actually use one of these devices. All of those costs were shouldered by the men who chose to help. That's wonderful! I applaud it readily!

      But I don't think it's sustainable. What happens when rent is due or someone wants him to pay for dinner? Free is not sustainable. Should a prosthetic device cost $10,000? Probably not. $100,000? I can think of three devices which cost that much. One is a leg that has powered ankle and knee joints which allow users to walk, jog, climb, and run like normal people. One is a hand that moves like a real hand and is controlled by the user's thoughts. The other is a prosthetic eye which actually allows a blind person to see again. They are all so expensive because they are bleeding edge devices which are still in trials (and as such, only a few of them actually exist to purchase.)

      In reality, a prosthetic eye shouldn't cost more than $100-200. The problem with that is that there are so few people who need them, and the skills required to make them are so complex, that it would be impossible to survive as an occularist without charging much, much more. (I see about 100 clients a year and I am the only occularist in my state.)

      Prosthetic legs are different. 80% of a prosthetic leg comes off a shelf. I buy feet, ankles, knees, and "shins;" then bolt them on to sockets I make custom for each patient. I don't have any control over how much a knee costs my clients. I could easily hire a machinist to produce the parts for a fraction of the cost, but that is illegal. I could easily go to the hardware store and grab a 1 inch aluminum pipe to use as a shin for a client for a couple of dollars, but it's illegal to do so even though it's the exact same part I buy for around $100 from a supplier.

      Even if I could cut my costs down by making or buying cheaper parts legally, it would be impossible to produce a $100 prosthetic in anything resembling a sustainable business model. There just aren't enough clients out there who need my services for me to keep my employees lights on at that price.

    4. Re:I didn't RTFA or TFS by rmdingler · · Score: 2
      What is the premise for which it is illegal to substitute cheaper parts, he wondered aloud?

      And a good post=very informative.

      --
      Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.

      Ernest Hemingway

    5. Re:I didn't RTFA or TFS by rmdingler · · Score: 1

      Ironically, when you reside in a living hell, there are no personal injury lawyers.

      --
      Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.

      Ernest Hemingway

    6. Re:I didn't RTFA or TFS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I could easily go to the hardware store and grab a 1 inch aluminum pipe to use as a shin for a client for a couple of dollars, but it's illegal to do so even though it's the exact same part I buy for around $100 from a supplier.

      In the US, maybe. But this article is about Sudan. Luckily we don't have tens of thousands of people a year losing limbs due to a horrible civil war, and luckily they don't have any lawyers.

      Sure, living in a war-torn country and working for minimal pay is not probably not something you (or I) want to do, but luckily there are in fact people who do. And the victims/patients have no money whatsoever, so it won't matter to them whether it's $100 or $100,000. But it will matter to those people/companies/governments donating money and time. That's the whole POINT of TFA! They want to give 1000 refugees the ability to feed themselves, not one yuppie the ability to climb their indoor rock wall again. An they actually provided the equipment and training and the locals are now printing and assembling the limbs themselves.

    7. Re:I didn't RTFA or TFS by stoborrobots · · Score: 1

      Worth investigating: an Indian charity worked with together with Stanford and MIT D-Lab to develop <$50 above-knee prosthetics, and has been building 60,000+ per year for the last few years... Again, that's part cost, not chargable cost, but still...

      Here's an article about them from 2011: http://www.smh.com.au/world/indians-work-miracles-on-a-shoestring-20110617-1g7yl.html (mirrored at http://jaipurfoot.org/media/media_reports/pdf/shoestring.pdf)

      --
      "Go to CNN [for a] spell-checked, fact-checked summary" -- CmdrTaco
    8. Re:I didn't RTFA or TFS by VortexCortex · · Score: 1

      The prosthetic was produced for $100 in parts. That does not cover the time it took to produce the device. It doesn't cover the cost of the machine that produced the device. It didn't cover the cost of the education that the manufacturer was required to have (If he was working in the US prior to this) and it didn't cover any of the training that's needed to be able to actually use one of these devices. All of those costs were shouldered by the men who chose to help.

      For the cost of a few years of the occasional weekend my 12 year old niece learned the equivalent of a bachelors degree in computer science. Of course it was a labour of love for me. Now, at 14 she has taught two of her friends C programming. Perhaps you over value the price of knowledge due to the ridiculously moronic accreditation system, which will award no degrees to these babes in their toy-langauge land. The knowledge and skill to assemble and calibrate a 3D printer and start making things accurately with it I can impart to you in an afternoon -- Well, maybe not you in-the-box-thinkers, but many a child of merely 10 years old can do so. Iterative design given the established basics is far less costly than you may expect. Improving and producing the devices may not require decades of learning and expenses. You don't sound like a scientist to me. You're spouting a lot of unevidenced claims. Fucking prove it.

    9. Re:I didn't RTFA or TFS by Dr.+Evil · · Score: 1

      I think the intent with projects like this is to show that it can be done using technology and know-how available in the place where the problems exist.

      Producing limbs for $100's, is *not* going to pay for the labour and consulting for a "Westerner" to do it and sustainably maintain a Western lifestyle.

      But there are plenty of people in Sudan who have the motivation and means to apply the method locally. The amazing part in my mind is that using a method like this, Sudan doesn't need to depend on expensive doctors and fabrication facilities in the Western world to produce custom limbs, they can do it themselves and share their results.

    10. Re:I didn't RTFA or TFS by Dahamma · · Score: 1

      Producing limbs for $100's, is *not* going to pay for the labour and consulting for a "Westerner" to do it and sustainably maintain a Western lifestyle.

      Well, the trauma surgeon from the article who has saved hundreds of lives while living in the mountains in Sudan isn't worried about maintaining his Western lifestyle. He's probably just living off of some basic grants that account for about 5% of what his peers in the US are spending on their swimming pools and golf games.

      But I'm not really disagreeing - just pointing out that there are also highly skilled people donating their time (and many others donating money) to make these things happen. Even $100 is not remotely affordable for a 14 year old missing a limb in the Sudan. So hopefully one of the intents/goals of this project will be to show that relatively small donations (from the "Western" point of view) can make a huge difference *IF* the money is spent efficiently!

  4. do Sudanese like video games? by Thud457 · · Score: 3, Informative

    A good start, but with a per capita GDP of ~$1100 USD, that's still a good chunk of money. Keep working on driving down costs, guys!

    For $120, you can give the gift of GOAT .

    --

    the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

    1. Re:do Sudanese like video games? by Tablizer · · Score: 5, Funny

      Click on a link called "Goat"? Yeah right.

      --
      Table-ized A.I.
    2. Re: do Sudanese like video games? by AvitarX · · Score: 1

      I suspect it's still in relative costs cheaper than getting one over here in America ( I don't know what an artificial limb of that quality would cost here, but I suspect more than 10k assuming something quality equivalent is available, in reality I suspect it'd be higher quality and much more expensive than 10k).

      --
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    3. Re:do Sudanese like video games? by sudo · · Score: 1

      Yeah giving goats also accelerates deterioration of the land because of defoliation from indiscriminate grazing.

      I know the goats can be used to help regenerate vegetation, but the people receiving it are only interested in fattening the goat
      that take care of what little fertile land they have left.

    4. Re:do Sudanese like video games? by TrollstonButterbeans · · Score: 1

      You can give the gift of goat.se for free!

      And all cultures can relate to this gift --- it is language neutral and culturally independent. Which as they say in Canada is "Really good deal!"

      --
      Priest: "Universe from nothing, no laws of physics, sped up time"+ huge discrepancies. Creationism? No. Big Bang Theory
  5. One step closer to... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...building my own girlfriend.

    1. Re: One step closer to... by AvitarX · · Score: 2

      Real close, my girlfriend is just an arm and a hand.

      --
      Wow, sent an e-mail as suggested when clicking on "use classic" banner, and got a fast response that addressed my msg
    2. Re: One step closer to... by Capt.DrumkenBum · · Score: 1

      The had isn't really needed, as such.
      An arm and a fleshlight would do just as well, perhaps better.

      --
      If I were God, wouldn't I protect my churches from acts of me?
  6. Comparison to conventional prosthetics? by The+Grim+Reefer · · Score: 5, Interesting

    It would be interesting to know how long these printed artificial limbs will hold up compared to a conventional prosthetic limb. It would also be interesting to know how much a conventional prosthetic could be made for w/o all of the overhead. I realize that in the US there's a ton of money dumped into testing, trials, FDA approval, lawyers and fear of being sued. But why can't conventional prosthetic limbs be made in countries like this without all of the legal BS? Obviously they can be printed w/o it. I don't know what the average yearly wage is in Sudan, but $100 could be a rather sizable amount of money. Regardless, good for Mr. Ebeling for trying to make a difference.

    1. Re:Comparison to conventional prosthetics? by rmdingler · · Score: 1
      About two weeks pay.

      Average annual inccome for Sudan is $2400 U.S.D. > $46,000 in the States.

      --
      Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.

      Ernest Hemingway

    2. Re:Comparison to conventional prosthetics? by cascadingstylesheet · · Score: 1

      It would be interesting to know how long these printed artificial limbs will hold up compared to a conventional prosthetic limb. It would also be interesting to know how much a conventional prosthetic could be made for w/o all of the overhead. I realize that in the US there's a ton of money dumped into testing, trials, FDA approval, lawyers and fear of being sued. But why can't conventional prosthetic limbs be made in countries like this without all of the legal BS? Obviously they can be printed w/o it. I don't know what the average yearly wage is in Sudan, but $100 could be a rather sizable amount of money. Regardless, good for Mr. Ebeling for trying to make a difference.

      I only know the consumer end of it.

      Obviously there is overhead - the prosthetist has an office, staff, equipment. Then there's the work and expertise - there's a lot of custom fitting and casting involved, especially with the sockets. Usually multiple appointments and fittings. Then of course the parts that aren't custom come from a supply chain, with markup along the way. And there's the insane markup from it being something covered (to some extent, with some insurances) by insurance and government programs. And the presumably small demand/market for the manufactured parts must mean small production runs, and higher costs.

      So yeah, part of me reads these stories and cries "why can't we have $100 limbs here?!?" But the rest of me knows better ...

    3. Re:Comparison to conventional prosthetics? by dbIII · · Score: 1

      Well over a decade ago I saw a video of a guy with an inexpensive polymer artificial leg with a knee joint climbing a tree. That's the sort of possibilities and since these things have to be sized to fit 3D printing makes sense.

    4. Re:Comparison to conventional prosthetics? by Em+Adespoton · · Score: 2

      It would be interesting to know how long these printed artificial limbs will hold up compared to a conventional prosthetic limb. It would also be interesting to know how much a conventional prosthetic could be made for w/o all of the overhead. I realize that in the US there's a ton of money dumped into testing, trials, FDA approval, lawyers and fear of being sued. But why can't conventional prosthetic limbs be made in countries like this without all of the legal BS? Obviously they can be printed w/o it. I don't know what the average yearly wage is in Sudan, but $100 could be a rather sizable amount of money. Regardless, good for Mr. Ebeling for trying to make a difference.

      The other thing to consider is that this makes prosthetics for children (who have this annoying tendency to grow) MUCH easier -- I'm sure someone could even design a limb that is designed to be expandable, so that you only have to re-print a few key parts as the child grows, instead of having to make a new limb every year.

    5. Re:Comparison to conventional prosthetics? by NixieBunny · · Score: 2

      My wife has a high-tech wooden leg, so I'm familiar with how long they last, about five years. I also have a 3D printer, but I've never considered printing a leg socket. I'd expect the fingers in this hand to eventually break, as the wearer tests the limits. Fortunately, printing a single component is not expensive at all.

      The idea of using the 3D printer to make the fiddly bits is excellent. It's also possible to use regular materials to make limb pieces. PVC pipe has been used in India.

      In the long run, a local prosthetics cottage industry that relies on commonly available components and supplies should be self-sustaining, if the cost of materials is borne by humanitarian agencies.

      --
      The determined Real Programmer can write Fortran programs in any language.
  7. Durability by jklovanc · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I wonder how long those limbs last under the hard use they will be put through.

    1. Re:Durability by easyTree · · Score: 1

      +1 I'll donate a $1 to that DP-decynicalization project.

      --
      Requiem for the American Dream
    2. Re:Durability by TrollstonButterbeans · · Score: 1

      Truth. ^^

      --
      Priest: "Universe from nothing, no laws of physics, sped up time"+ huge discrepancies. Creationism? No. Big Bang Theory
  8. Re:3D printing hype nonsense by wjcofkc · · Score: 4, Informative

    I don't think the idea is that Sudanese will be forking over $100 for an artificial limb. This is a charitable cause. If you watch the video closely, enough raw material was unloaded to make at least 1,000 and they were left with the manufacturing means and training to make more. The article states that they are currently making about one per week. I don't think anyone over there has the money for this, which brings it back to a charitable cause.

    You did read the article and watch the video, right?

    When the $100 figure is cited, they are not saying that the Sudanese will be forking over that sum, they are saying that at that price point, they can be provided as a charitable cause. Considering this guy was able to raise the money to do this in the first place, I am sure there is material resupply money at hand.

    Also, you are a jerk.

    --
    Brought to you by Carl's Junior.
  9. Re:3D printing hype nonsense by wjcofkc · · Score: 1
    If you want to live 100 years ago, fine. But let the rest of the world move forward. Also, his low end 3d printer... came off of a shelf. If the problem can be solved with something better, let it be solved with something better. By starting this process, it can only become better and cheaper. I would like to see your cost sheets showing that it is cheaper to build these in other countries with cheaper, and heavier, materials and then ship them over without leaving them practical means to make more. They don't have these "off the shelf" materials over there is the first place. Sending a box off lightweight raw materials makes infinitely more sense on so many levels. You really don't get it do you?

    Yes, I'm a jerk because I proposed something 10x cheaper

    Yes you are. To make matters worse you are a short-sited jerk. Self-aggrandizing videos... oh geez, I have been tricked into replying to a troll. No wonder you are posting AC. Say all you want, I am done with you.

    --
    Brought to you by Carl's Junior.
  10. Re:3D printing hype nonsense by easyTree · · Score: 2

    You might note that your 'robotic hand' solution has the slight downfall of needing an actual hand to operate it :P

    --
    Requiem for the American Dream
  11. Re:They're able to do it for $100 in Sudan.. by sjames · · Score: 1

    Prosthetics are exempt from the vast majority of FDA regs. So what was the excuse for gouging amputees down to the bone again?

  12. Re:3D printing hype nonsense by rmdingler · · Score: 1
    Let's see... how does this go again?

    Hey dawg! We heard you needed a robotic arm so we're sending you a robotic arm for your robotic arm.

    --
    Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.

    Ernest Hemingway

  13. how is it controled? by manu0601 · · Score: 1

    How movements of this artificial limb are controlled?

    1. Re:how is it controled? by Neil+Boekend · · Score: 1

      Not all artificial legs need control over the movements.
      If the prosthetic leg starts below the knee there is little need for an active joint. Keeping balance while standing still will require training though.
      If the hip joint is intact the user can throw the foot forward to get the leg where he wants it. Then the user can stand on it and the pressure on the leg can lock the knee.
      It isn't easy to walk this way but it can be done and beats having nothing or something that doesn't fit, which is often the case in third world countries.
      Oscar Pistorius can run far faster than I can and he has no electric control in his prosthetic legs. Granted, he only has lower leg prosthetics and a lot of experience with them, but it seems to me that walking with unpowered prosthetics is possible.

      --
      Well, I might have a way, but it only works on a semi spherical planet in a vacuum.
    2. Re:how is it controled? by manu0601 · · Score: 1

      But here, it is an arm, not a leg.

  14. artificial brains by DeadjDona · · Score: 1

    i hope there will be a time, when we'll be able to print artificial brains for politicians.

  15. Term Defined by kj_in_ottawa · · Score: 1

    So when someone says it would cost an arm and a leg, we now know that is $200.
    Thanks for the info!

    On a more serious note, anybody have an update on
    http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2011/may/22/joshua-silver-glasses-self-adjusting
    Did this project take off?