According to Amputee Coalition, in the United States alone, there are nearly two million people living with limb loss. Approximately 185,000 amputations occur in the US each year due to causes varying from vascular disease to trauma. What’s more, prosthetics can cost anywhere from $5,000 to upwards of $50,000.
Prosthetics become even more expensive when taking into account that they’re best when custom fit, making production slow and costly. This is where 3D printing has proven to be an incredible alternative for producing prosthetics, bieng an affordable manufacturing technique that can work with many different materials and offer easy customization.
Nowadays, there are many companies placing their bets on 3D printed prosthetics and working to make them accessible to everyone who needs them. Even home 3D printers are much more affordable than a traditional prosthetic limb, and you can find DIY prosthetics that are free to print yourself.
In this article, we’ll highlight the most promising and successful 3D printed prosthetics out there. Read on and be amazed!