Stress on 3-D printing technology for designing prosthetics in NE

3-D printing can help design prosthetics precisely and promptly, which otherwise is very time consuming to design.

A live demonstration on digital designing of prosthetics was held at the video conference hall of the North Eastern Council (NEC) in Shillong on Wednesday by a team from Assam Electronics Development Corporation (AMTRON) in the presence of dignitaries from various organisations. The event was attended by Prof. Prashant Jindal, Design Innovation Centre, University institute of Engineering and Technology, Chandigarh and Sanjay Kumar Singh, general manager, Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited.

Representatives of AMTRON gave a brief presentation on the aims and objectives of the programmes and initiatives taken by the central government for the welfare of divyang (physically-challenged) people.

Welcoming the audience, NEC secretary K. Moses Chalai said, "With the digital designing of prosthetics we can design the parts which otherwise is very time consuming to design and with 3D printing, it would be precise. 3D printing is a part of 4.0 industry (fourth industrial revolution) and the Northeast should also catch up with 4.0 industry amidst the challenges faced by the region".

According to reports, 3-D printing technology will help everyone particularly the poorer sections as there is a shortage of trained prosthetics.

Assam Electronics Development Corporation (AMTRON) has proposed to set up a 3-D Printing Centre of Excellence in the Electronic Manufacturing Cluster (EMC) in collaboration with other government agencies to be set up in Tech city, Guwahati. Mobile scanners are used for scanning amputation cases for preparation of moulds by reducing the waiting period in field camps as well as OPD visits to institutions for getting basic negative moulds made of customised prosthetics.

According to reports, 3-D printing technology will help everyone particularly the poorer sections as there is a shortage of trained prosthetics. This technique will be cost effective and being custom designed, this product is suited to individual needs. There are a lot of people living with disability which can either be by birth/ congenital or on acquired disability ranging from accident, trauma or lifestyle issues. So, it can be said that disability is on the rise. Also, as far as Northeast India is concerned, it also has a sizeable population affected by disability.

With the emergence of 4.0 industry in the coming years, the ecosystem is going to have a massive impact on delivery of services to people living with disabilities by use of mobile scanners for scanning of amputation cases for preparation of moulds. The technology has been developed especially for the welfare of the persons with disabilities or divyang, in association with various national institutions under the Department of Persons with Disabilities (PWD).

A live demo of the digital screening for designing customised prosthetics would revolutionise the way people look at prosthetics. This would also help all the persons with disability to live a life of dignity.