CyberShop and MIPT + Skolkovo: Traction prostheses of the hand

2024: Launch of mass production of mechanical 3D traction prosthesis of the hand

A group of students of the Department of Technological Entrepreneurship MIPT + Skolkovo has developed and puts a mechanical traction 3D prosthetic arm on the stream. The use of three-dimensional printing made it possible to optimize the production of rehabilitation products by 4 times, as well as reduce the cost of them by an average of 2 times. This was announced on April 18, 2024 by representatives of the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.

source = MIPT

As reported, as of April 2024, the cost of a traction prosthesis of the forearm is on average 150 thousand rubles. The cost of manufacturing a means of functional rehabilitation of the hand is cheaper - about 120 thousand.

For comparison: the cost of similar models of prostheses developed by students of Fiztech using 3D printing is no more than 90 thousand rubles. When entering mass production, it will be possible to reduce the cost of production by another 2 times - up to 50 thousand rubles per production of one prosthesis.

According to the project manager, student of the Fiztech School of Radio Engineering and Computer Technology and the Department of Technological Entrepreneurship of MIPT + Skolkovo Kirill Lakhminov, using a traction prosthesis created by the group, you can perform basic household tasks: keep heavy objects, carry things, as well as capture even small objects - cogs or matches.

Unlike the bionic (with electronics "in the filling") prosthesis, the traction does not need a battery. This means that our prosthesis is lighter and more comfortable. "Mechanics" works by tensioning the cables while flexing the surviving joint of the injured limb. The stump is inserted into the sleeve and the traction lever is attached to the forearm. With flexion of the joint - the wrist or elbow - there is a seizure. added Kirill Lakhminov

According to the developers, the production of the prosthesis without additive technologies takes a month. Using 3D printing, it was possible to reduce this period to 7 days. Rehabilitation tools are manufactured on two types of 3D printers, FDM, which prints with a plastic bar, and SLA, which prints with a photopolymer. By the end of 2024, the MIPT students' technology startup team plans to produce 1 prosthesis per day.

All materials in contact with a person have been certified - they are safe and suitable for long-term wear. The production technology does not require a large number of narrow specialists, in our case, these are prosthetic technicians. Due to the fact that they participate only at the stage of individualization of the product (the process of fitting the prosthesis to the needs of a particular person), we were able to optimize the production of rehabilitation products. The quality from the change in process technology was not affected. specified Kirill Lakhminov

Startup "CyberShop," created on the basis of the Department of Technological Entrepreneurship MIPT + Skolkovo, has already tested innovative traction prostheses. They were attended by 15 testers.

The mother of the tester Katya Svetlana Gusarova notes that an individual approach to the development of each prosthesis is critical for high-quality rehabilitation. The "fit" of the prosthesis for each tester makes its use more comfortable.

My daughter Katya is 10 years old and has been in her prosthesis since she was 6 months old. As of April 2024, we already have the second prosthesis from Cybercech. And a lot has already changed for the better. Of course, it is immediately impossible to take everything into account. For example, the sleeve should be as convenient as possible for the owner, otherwise it is uncomfortable to wear a prosthesis for a long time. Wishes are taken into account, everything is gradually adjusted for a specific person. We are in touch with the project team. noted Svetlana Gusarova

The developers' immediate plans are to complete the design of a pilot prototype of a bionic prosthesis, the parts of which will also be made using 3D printing.

See also

• Prosthetic legs
• Bionic prostheses
• Endoprostheses
• Neuroartificial limbs