Ultimaker, a global 3-D printer manufacturer, is partnering with e-NABLE, a nonprofit organization that designs upper limb prostheses for children.
Ultimaker will donate $10,000 of their newest 3-D printer model, the Ultimaker 2. This will support prototyping and development of novel e-NABLE prostheses. Ultimaker will also provide additional 3-D printers, and contribute to a wider support base for e-NABLE in Europe.
As a part of the initiative, eNable will gain access to YouMagine, Ultimaker’s open source platform for prosthetic designs. YouMagine will assist in the development of the “hand-o-matic,” a software that allows automatic, customized prosthetic development without the need for CAD-modelling skills.
“This is a prime example of what open source and 3-D printing can offer to society,” Siert Wijnia, Ultimaker chief operating officer, stated in a company press release. “The enabling of free prosthetic hands…and the rapid development by open source. It is an excellent fit with our philosophy.”
The two companies will hold a joint meeting Sept. 28 at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore to further introduce the value of 3-D printed prostheses.
