by Garrett Polter
Ad Manager
A little girl named Hailey Dawson caught the world spotlight at the World Series as she threw out the first pitch to start Game 4. What made this pitch extraordinary is that her tiny hand was fitted with a prosthetic generated by a 3D printer.
Hailey was born seven years ago with Poland Syndrome, a birth defect that has caused her to be born without three fingers on her right hand. With the help of a 3D printed prosthetic hand, she dreams to be able to throw out the traditional first pitch of a game at every single Major League Baseball stadium.
These new 3D printed prosthetics are a very low cost of just $50. Yes, just $50. This seems as if it is way too good to be true, right? It isn’t. Due to the low cost, yet highly durable material that the new prosthetics are made of, they are able to significantly bring down the prices. Compare that to old prosthetics which range in price from $5,000 to $50,000 for a product that will only last a few years.
With these low prices, 3D printed prosthetics are the way to go, especially for children. If a child is born without a limb, the child will most likely outgrow the prosthetic very rapidly. These being cheap in price makes them ideal for the constant growing changes kids go through. It is also an option to get them customized in what color or pattern you may like.
In addition to cost benefits is the comfort of the 3D prosthetic. The newer prosthetics have been favored among those who have been able to test them.
One minimal drawback of a 3D prosthetic is that even though strong, it can and will break like most things if mistreated. The upside to that is because of low cost and quick replacement, it is quick to remake.
New research is being done to make a prosthetic that will grow with the patient. Doctors are now also able to use 3D printing in the form of implants. They have successfully used the printing methods to implant blood vessels, kidneys, bones, skin, ears, and even part of a human skull.
While these 3D prosthetics are still in the works, they help those who are missing whole or parts of limbs continue to remain hopeful that they can better their lives with the new forms of medicine of today’s world, or maybe even help one little girl to live out her dream of throwing out the first pitch at every Major League baseball stadium.
New research is being done to make a prosthetic that will grow with the patient. Doctors are now also able to use 3D printing in the form of implants. They have successfully used the printing methods to implant blood vessels, kidneys, bones, skin, ears, and even part of a human skull.
While these 3D prosthetics are still in the works, they help those who are missing whole or parts of limbs continue to remain hopeful that they can better their lives with the new forms of medicine of today’s world, or maybe even help one little girl to live out her dream of throwing out the first pitch at every Major League baseball stadium.