Sustainable Rehabilitative Medical Device: Custom-made orthotics and in the future prosthesis using 3D printing technology.

About the project

60% of 1.2 Million stroke survivors in the UK are aged 65 years and over. Prevalence in Derby and Derbyshire – 2.18% [24,162 stroke survivors registered with a GP Practice].

Using foam boxes and plaster casting for shape capture followed by molding processes that involve significant manual labor and results in an average lead time for patients to receive the AFO to be 4 -12 weeks. This adds a minimum of 1 month of reduced mobility and activity to the patients’ lives which increases their discomfort and frustration further.

Alternative efficient solutions are 3D scanning (3DS), for shape capture, which is less prone to error, with higher accuracy and a quicker process followed by 3D Printing, for automated manufacture, which produce better fit AFO (minimum adjustment required) and allows personalisation. The latter manufacturing cycle can result in reduction of lead time to less than 5 days (Proven concept). The sustainable 3D printed rehabilitative medical device will target to accelerate the pathway to rehabilitation for , not only, stroke patients; It will benefit cerebral palsy patients, spinal cord injury patients and so on.