The exoskeleton arm is a device that allows children to move hands, draw, play and express themselves – simply to do what kids love to do. The invention is extremely needed, especially by the children with SMA (Spinal Muscular Atrophy) who are not able to move their legs, arms, hands without specialized external supportive devices. SMA is a genetic neuromuscular disease, which means it is inherited and affects nerves responsible for muscle functions.
Sinterit wanted to design and create an affordable and easy to setup, dynamic support exoskeleton arm for kids, which is ready to use straight out of the box. The idea came out from parents of children with SMA, who couldn’t find an adequate solution. The project – from the beginning – is designed and improved by Bartłomiej Gaczorek from Cristal Cave.
The designer started to work on the exoskeleton after a call of mother of a boy suffering from SMA. She knew that Gaczorek has an experience in “doing something in 3D”. Her 3-year old son has tested before some 3D-printed prototypes, but they haven’t been sufficiently appropriate for him and no other solutions were available at that moment. As designer noticed – the existing models have been great pieces of engineering, but they needed some improvements. He has been consulting the project with SMA children parents who understand the best their children needs, doctors and physiotherapists on each stage of development. It occurred that SLS 3D printing gives much more possibilities than other 3D technologies like FDM or SLA, because of its precision in printing, freedom of form as well as light-weight and strength of the material. Those features are important in preparing prototypes, but also in production of ultimate, unique, tailor-made parts of exoskeleton for each patient. The cooperation between the designer and Sinterit begun at the moment when production process kicked off – the necessary parts have been printed on Sinterit LISA and it worked perfect. Now they are working together to achieve success and create perfect exoskeletons for 3 children with SMA in Poland and in the further perspective – for other people in need.
“I chose Sinterit as it is the only desktop SLS in the world, which is affordable and reliable. With almost 3 years experience on the market it produces best quality high-precision prints” – underlines Bartłomiej Gaczorek (creator of exoskeleton design).