Wanted: 3-D Hand Recipient

VILLAS – Lower Cape May Regional High School is looking for someone who could use a hand – literally.
As part of a global group called “Enabling the Future” (www.enablingthefuture.org/get-involved), students hope to find a child or adult with a wrist but no fingers, or elbows without a wrist or hand so they can design and print a 3-D customized hand that can perform specific tasks.
“We bought a three-dimensional printer with part of our book budget,” explained Tish Carpinelli, LCMR HS media specialist. “It’s been wonderful because every child can use it, no matter what grade, their ability or capability. We’ve had about 50 students so far print their own designs.”
About two months ago, Carpinelli saw a television program about a prosthetic hand that had been printed using a 3-D printer. It gave her an idea that perhaps the students could do something similar.
“We are looking for a child or even an adult who we could help,” she said. “It would be a great project for our kids to become involved with: not only would they help to design the hand and customize it, but it would be good for the kids to meet someone who they would be helping.”
The Enabling the Future organization was inspired by two strangers who lived 10,000 miles apart – a prop maker from the U.S. and a carpenter from South Africa. They created a prosthetic hand device for a small child in South Africa and then gave the plans away for free so those in need could make a device for themselves, or for others.
“Part of the requirement is that our students must learn how to create a 3-D model, and then eventually print the model hand from the designs that the organization provides,” Carpinelli said. “Once the hand is printed, it needs to be put together mechanically and shown that it works.”
Kevin Hildebrandt, a special education math teacher at the school, involved three of his students to help put the hand together mechanically. “It probably took about 20 hours to print all the parts and then we needed to buy some screws, elastic thread, just regular stuff from a hardware store,” Hildebrandt said. “It cost less than $25 to put this together.”
The price is key, according to Carpinelli, because a prosthetic device can cost $20,000 or more. “Especially if you have a child who will outgrow the device quickly, who can afford $20,000? This is a tool that can help with many tasks, ” she pointed out.
According to the Enabling the Future organization, an individual must have at least 30 degrees of motion in either wrist or elbows to have movement in the 3-D device. It can function in a grasping motion and be used as a tool for specific tasks. However, they caution that it is “not a full blown prosthetic. You can’t control individual finger movements and it can’t bear weight.”
The hands can be customized. “Right now, three of our students are customizing a hand for the school, with our mascot, a tiger, and our initials on it. If a little girl wanted a pink hand with flowers, we could do it,” Carpinelli said.
“What a great way to build self-esteem for a child who might be embarrassed that they have an upper limb difference,” she continued. “They could have a really cool looking hand, and be able to have some movement. They could pick up a water bottle, for instance.”
So far, students have designed a variety of models to learn how to design and then build and print their projects, everything from a model head to model phone to nameplates. “Some of these are tricky because of their angles so it’s a real learning experience.”
The printer uses a filament that is fed through a tube and is heated to 215 degrees Fahrenheit before it is printed and molded into the final product. The student’s design is put together with a software program that dictates its shape to the printer. For now, Carpinelli needs to switch cartridges if they use color.
“What a great opportunity this presents to our kids,” Carpinelli noted. “You could use these devices to help people in Haiti, Nepal or other places where they have lost limbs and may not have access to the right supplies and resources. The field is exploding right now and it’s great that our kids have a chance to learn about this.”
Anyone who may need a hand or knows of someone in need should contact: carpinellit@lcmrschools.com or hildebrandtk@lcmrschools.com.
To contact Karen Knight, email kknight@cmcherald.com.