The future of health technology might not be designed by a technologist, scientist or roboticist, but by an artist, designer or dreamer. A design student at Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand came up with an idea that merges 3D scans of your broken limb with a 3D model to make an exoskeleton that protects your broken bone. The prototype is called Cortex.
Like Mark Twain said, “write what you know” — Jake Evill did the same, mostly. After he broke his hand, out of that pain (and necessity) he began to think of a better way to protect and heal a bone.
On his website, Evill says that Cortex delivers localized support for a fracture or broken bone, essentially shifting the pressure of the cast, in this case the Cortex exoskeleton, to where the bone is actually broken versus engulfing the entire limb in a heavy plaster or fiber glass cast.
Evill says Cortex is also good for the environment — stating that it’s recyclable which will help lesson the impact on medical waste which has been on the rise for the past 15 years.
Like Mark Twain said, “write what you know” — Jake Evill did the same, mostly. After he broke his hand, out of that pain (and necessity) he began to think of a better way to protect and heal a bone.
On his website, Evill says that Cortex delivers localized support for a fracture or broken bone, essentially shifting the pressure of the cast, in this case the Cortex exoskeleton, to where the bone is actually broken versus engulfing the entire limb in a heavy plaster or fiber glass cast.
Evill says Cortex is also good for the environment — stating that it’s recyclable which will help lesson the impact on medical waste which has been on the rise for the past 15 years.
Unlike other fiber glass and plaster casts, Cortex relies on 3D scanning
and 3D printing to make the model for the cast. The broken hand, foot
or other, needs to be 3D scanned which is reconstructed into a 3D model.
The output from that process is a digital file which then goes to a 3D
printer. The result is a ultra- light, hygienic, anatomically accurate
cast made from nylon that snaps together easily and applies the
appropriate pressure on the fracture or break point.
The cross roads of technology and design continues to unfold. Evill describes Cortex in a way that’s more in tune with our active, modern and stylish lifestyles — it breathes, it looks good, it’s strong, thin, washable and can be worn under clothes. Evill pushes us to think about the boundaries of technology and design of an object meant to repair our bodies that’s both aesthetic and functional.
The cross roads of technology and design continues to unfold. Evill describes Cortex in a way that’s more in tune with our active, modern and stylish lifestyles — it breathes, it looks good, it’s strong, thin, washable and can be worn under clothes. Evill pushes us to think about the boundaries of technology and design of an object meant to repair our bodies that’s both aesthetic and functional.
Source: Forbes.com
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar