A Study of Three-Dimensional (3D) Printed Prosthetic Upper Limb Models in Local Context

Abstract

Sri Lanka is recovering from a war that left behind many amputees. 3-D printed Flexy, Shira, LimbForge and a bionic hand were produced and analyzed based on gripping force and grasping patterns. LimbForge is preferred by underprivileged for its low cost and realistic look, but non-functionality makes it incompetent. A bionic hand opens to performance enhancement but the cost is high compared to other models. The Flexy and Shira are more promising as they offer functionality at low cost. Experiments were carried out to compare performance. Based on these experiments Flexy showed high grip strength and increased dexterity compared to the Shira hand.