In this post we will be discussing some of the new technologies that are being implemented in the design and creation of medical prosthetics.  From utilizing 3D printing to the introduction of myoelectric prosthetics, the medical technology industry is advancing at lightning speed.  Read on to find out more!

The development of medical prosthetics has become a constantly growing field with their increased need in current times.  With improved functionality and designs, new prosthetics are allowing those who need them to live much more better lives.  From a peace innovation viewpoint, these new technologies will show us a new side to equality when it comes to medicine and innovation that we may not have thought of in the past.

Background and Relevance of Prosthetics

There are a plethora of reasons that an individual could be in need of a prosthetic device. The most common medical cases that result in people requiring to have prosthetics are from traumatic injuries, with amputations due to diabetes and cancer following.  

Prosthetic devices have been used across the globe for centuries, helping people with injuries and medical conditions to regain use of their limbs.  However, with amputations becoming more prevalent due to medical procedures that prioritize keeping patients alive rather than keeping their limbs, the demand and need for prosthetics is growing rapidly.

Astonishingly, around 185,000 people annually in the United States alone lose a limb or other part of the body.  While we usually envision some sort of mechanical looking hand or leg contraption when we think about prosthetics, new technologies have allowed the range of prostheses to be widely expanded.  We will discuss these enhanced technologies later in this post.

Unfortunately, due to the uniqueness, time to make, and need for customization of prosthetics, the price of these devices are very high.  For prosthetic limbs such as arms or legs, the low-end models that don’t have the greatest functionality cost around $2000-$3000, while the high-end models can cost as much as $50,000-$100,000.  Obviously this is a huge price to pay to regain the use of parts of someone’s body, and while insurances typically cover some portion of the cost, many people cannot afford these new limbs.  

Luckily, with some of the new advancements that are developing, there are ways that high-functioning prosthetics can be made to be more affordable.  They are preparing to boost the speed of manufacturing prosthetic devices so that more people can have access to them, as well as implementing the use of digital manufacturing.  It is noted that the World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that the number of companies with individuals who can produce prosthetics is around 40,000 below what is needed.  WHO also tells us that it will take upwards of 50 years to incorporate not even half of the technicians necessary to fulfill this number.  (Here is the full article)

On top of all of this, these innovations are allowing patients to have devices that can restore their body functions almost back to normal.

Introduction of 3D Printing

One of the biggest innovations within the prosthetics industry is the introduction of 3D printing, which has revolutionized the efficiency of prosthetic design and creation. In the past, these devices were created by molding a plaster cast around the part of the patient’s body where a new limb needed to be attached.  From there the cast would need to be filled with material for the actual device, then put together in a very time-consuming process.

However, because of enhancements in 3D printing and scanning, a prosthetist can now quickly and very accurately scan the patient’s limb.  The scan goes into a CAD (computer aided design) program where the prosthetic can be customized and printed within just a few hours.  The cost of 3D printing is very cheap compared to the older methods of building these devices, and are often more accurate.  

There are essentially no limits to what can be made when it comes to 3D printing.  Some prosthetists and doctors can take CT scans from patients to create 3D organs that can be surgically implanted, such as blood vessels or even a heart!  

Skin grafts have been created as well, which is another huge advantage of 3D printing.  If somebody is in need of a prosthetic, but wants it to look like a real limb rather than a mechanical one, the skin graft could be layered on top of the device to mask the prosthetic!

This leads into another important aspect of why this method of design is so beneficial: customization.  As was mentioned before, the possibilities with 3D printing are endless.  From printing cool colored limbs for children to skin-like texture for those who do not want to draw attention to their prosthetic, 3D printing also allows for much more personalization.

This revolutionary technology is certainly going to have a massive impact on the future of health all around the world. 

Myoelectric Prosthetics

From a functionality standpoint, the new innovation known as myoelectric prosthetics is probably the most important advancement when it comes to restoring use of limbs.  These prosthetics are quite a bit more complex because they incorporate sensors that can perceive sensory experiences.  

These sensors are connected to the patient’s body and pick up neuromuscular signals that our bodies relay to our limbs to move, grasp, and perform other functions.  These signals are then able to be relayed to the device and produce the same function that a normal limb would.

The sensors can actually be embedded into the muscle fibers, and then the signals emitted from the muscles communicate with a computer, which controls the movement of the limb.  (For more  about how these devices work, check out this article)

For example, let’s say that somebody lost a hand and was in need of a prosthetic one. If myoelectric technology was incorporated into the prosthetic, its sensors would pick up the neuromuscular signal when the person wanted to close their hand around an object.  The signal is then sent to the prosthetic and the hand moves accordingly, just like with a regular hand! 

The introduction of these devices has already vastly improved how modern prosthetics function, and to see how they evolve in the next few years is going to be absolutely amazing. 

In this post we discussed the importance and benefits of prosthetic devices for those who are in need of new limbs or body parts.  The overarching issue with the prosthetics industry is the lack of availability, and through these new technologies we will see a decrease in the gap between levels of access to products that people of all social classes need to improve our quality of life.  We also covered some of the new innovations that are being developed and why they may lead to a better future of health around the world.

If you would like to learn more about innovation, visit the Peace Innovation Institute’s website!