Limbitless Solutions
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| Formation | 2014 |
|---|---|
| Type | 501(c)(3) non-profit organization |
| Purpose | Develop open source 3D printed bionic solutions for children that are functional, affordable, and easy to manufacture. |
| Headquarters | Orlando, Florida, U.S. |
| Website | limbitless-solutions |
Limbitless Solutions is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in the United States that uses additive manufacturing (3D printing) to create accessible, yet affordable personalized bionics and prosthetic partial arms for children with limb differences. [1] The organization says their bionic arms are manufactured for under $400, 1% of the standard production cost.[2] Headquartered on the University of Central Florida campus in Orlando, Florida,[3] the organization was founded by a team of engineering students, led by CEO and Executive Director Albert Manero.
The idea of Limbitless Solutions came to life in 2014 after a team of engineering students at the University of Central Florida led an initiative to provide bionic 3D printed limbs to children. In their free time, the students took advantage of a donated Stratasys Dimension 3D printer in the engineering manufacturing lab on campus to create an affordable prosthetic that displayed their ideas of art and engineering all into one. Their method was the first of its kind and minimized the cost and time of traditional prosthetic manufacturing processes like CNC milling.[4][5] The first 3D printed arm the students created was run with off-the-shelf servomechanisms and batteries which are activated by the electromyography muscle energy on the child's limb.[6] Most prosthetic arms are mechanical, which presents a challenge for children without elbows because they have to open and close their mechanical prosthetic by bending their elbow. That led the Limbitless team to come up with the idea for an electronic arm with a muscle sensor that allows the child to open and close their prosthetic hand by flexing their biceps.[7]
