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IPFS News Link • 3D Printing

3D printed Exo-Prosthetic leg designed to be affordable – and beautiful

• http://www.gizmag.com, By Karen Sprey

The Exo-Prosthetic leg could be an alternative to the traditional "robotic" prosthesis, using 3D scanning, modeling and printing technology to create a customizable titanium exoskeleton that replicates the exact form of the amputated limb.

There are over 2 million amputees in the United States with 185,000 amputations every year. More than 90 percent of these involve amputations of the lower limbs.

While standard prostheses help patients regain much of the freedom and functionality they have lost, they come at a financial and psychological cost.

Traditional prostheses can be prohibitively expensive due to their complexity and the specialized labor required to customize them for each patient. They also have a very mechanical and robotic look and feel about them, which can exacerbate the sense of loss and negatively affect the psychological wellbeing of some amputees.