WEB DESIGN Richard Laucournet on the Y . Spot terrace , above ; 3D-printed lattice structures are ready for testing , right . of 3D printing has helped them create improvements that significantly increase patient comfort . Ottobock has been working with HP to produce customized transfemoral sockets for amputees , i . e ., the interface between a patient ’ s limb and prosthesis . “ The collaboration with HP and CEA helped us to efficiently develop some disruptive ideas , such as the transfemoral sockets , using the full capacities of the HP machines and postprocessing technologies ,” explains Jules Revais , R & D manager at Ottobock France .
For amputees , any improvement in the personalization and comfort of their orthotics can make a major difference to their lives . “ In most cases , transfemoral sockets are made with hard plastic and molded by hand , which can lead to human errors . They ’ re also quite heavy and uncomfortable ,” Revais says . With 3D lattices and other 3D-printed components from HP , Ottobock developed new sockets that offer more strength , flexibility , and comfort than previous devices .
This is just one of dozens of creative solutions that the hub ’ s collaborations have led to , explains CEA ’ s Galland .
“ Together with HP , we have built a full ecosystem to look at the many possible applications of 3D printing technology , and are developing more than 40 different projects that will directly create value for customers ,” she says .
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