Forum Idea: Section for Helping the Handicapped?

What are your guys feelings about us creating a section on 3DPrintBoard.com specifically to help facilitate those with missing hands, fingers, etc to connect with individuals that have 3D printers and are willing to print them a prosthetic. I got this idea from doing research into the many different robotic hands out there. I've found that there are some really good designs, that are helping a lot of people already. However, I have also had people email me asking me about where they can have a hand 3D printed. I was considering opening up an organization in order to help facilitate this, but the work load involved would probably be way too much for me to handle. That's when I got the idea to use a section of this forum to do this. What do you guys think? I'd love to get some feedback.

Eddie

I think it is a great idea. I would be willing to help, but before then.....I think I need more experience in creating prints. I am fine on the design end of mechanical work, for whatever is needed.

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Originally Posted by Eddie

What are your guys feelings about us creating a section on 3DPrintBoard.com specifically to help facilitate those with missing hands, fingers, etc to connect with individuals that have 3D printers and are willing to print them a prosthetic. I got this idea from doing research into the many different robotic hands out there. I've found that there are some really good designs, that are helping a lot of people already. However, I have also had people email me asking me about where they can have a hand 3D printed. I was considering opening up an organization in order to help facilitate this, but the work load involved would probably be way too much for me to handle. That's when I got the idea to use a section of this forum to do this. What do you guys think? I'd love to get some feedback.

Eddie

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Well of course my answer is "Yes!" But I'm a BioMedical engineering student. It might be good to recognize up front that there are other important topics for 3D-Printing in the Medical field besides prosthetics. The materials are going to be a very big deal. Also the actual printing of replacement organs is going to become increasingly important. The argument against the bigger view (for here) is the hobbyist can't really participate in those topics and probably there wouldn't be enough discussion to warrant extra sections.

But even staying focused on prosthetics, the materials topic comes into play. For example, on that finger prosthetic, of course it needs to be strong and work, but having the finger tip be printed with a soft, rubbery texture so it can 'grab' and 'grip' better will eventually become important. The ability to print with a seperate material to conduct heat and cold from the finger tip down a heat pipe to where it mounts on the person's finger would be helpful in certain circumstances.

I'm sure if there was enough discussion in the area, it would eventually make sense how to break things out further.

I think it would be a great idea.

Would this be like the for sale section, where one person has a need for a print, and a file to-be-printed and someone else has the means to make their file a real thing?
Maybe I just didn't read your post correctly, but I'm not really sure exactly what this thread would be about/revolve around.

I'm really thinking it would be its own subsection. I'd like it if people would be willing to help out as a charity type idea, rather than trying to profit.

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Originally Posted by Eddie

I'm really thinking it would be its own subsection. I'd like it if people would be willing to help out as a charity type idea, rather than trying to profit.

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Yes, I understood you meant it would be its own section. I was just saying "It would be great if it ended up being 4 or 5 sections. Like BioMedical materials for 3D printing, Issues around printing organs (once materials are available), etc, etc)

One thought I had is that it would be really 'healthy' for the community here (and promote this new section) if we could find worth while projects. It would be fun to work on a complicated item as a team with everybody contributing what ever they could (and wanted to) contribute. Your lawyers might get a little uncomfortable but think about the possibilities of an open source, collaboration effort to make Parts for People that have no other way of getting help?

Perhaps the first thread in the new section could be a solicitation to anybody that knows somebody that needs a part? Part of the selection process would be to identify something actually do-able and probably low enough risk that if the group botches some element of the design nobody gets hurt?

And if this idea worked, eventually the Parts for People section could have several interesting projects being worked on all at once.

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Originally Posted by Eddie

I'd like it if people would be willing to help out as a charity type idea, rather than trying to profit.

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I assumed as much, was curious anyway.
Still a great idea anyway, and I would be interested in helping if I can.

This is a wonderful idea. There are hundreds of thousands of people worldwide missing their hands. This could be extremely beneficial to society.

I have gone ahead and created this section.
http://3dprintboard.com/forumdisplay...nd-Prosthetics

I hope this helps a lot of people!
Eddie

Really nice idea. Beginner printers can provide free attempts at printing, and the person needing the part can choose the best one. Each printer can put his name on the part, to spread the word bout his print quality.

This has already been created. See the prosthetic section.
Eddie