Two of the most charitable uses of 3D printing are recycling and prosthetics development. Now, a new project is looking to combine them both for amazing new prosthetics program that can produce $45 prosthetics.
The Million Waves Project plans to use ocean plastic and recycle it to create prosthetic hands for people all over the world. Currently, the project uses PLA, biodegradable plastic. Their new initiative is still in the R&D stage and will be ready when they are done testing.
The company is using an open app to cater to individuals in need of a prosthetic and print a custom hand or arm. While prosthetics can cost upwards of a thousand bucks, the new prosthetics can go around for $45. Additionally, they can produce the parts to the exact specifications of the individual in need of the part.
Recycling & Prosthetics
As the company puts it: “The Million Waves Project brings together two unacceptable global situations and offers a practical and sustainable solution. We take recycled plastic cleaned from the ocean and turn it into 3D printable material.”
To create the parts, Chris and Laura cut the plastic up by hand or feed it through a paper shredder. They then collect the eventual user’s specs and measurements and fire these into a 3D printer as a model. As of right now, they have shipped 18 hands to people in need. However, they aren’t done yet. The company is looking to improve their operations and collect donations. Soon, they hope to acquire a commercial size shredder to increase their output.
“I’d been reading a lot about what was happening with ocean plastics and I’d been reading a lot about 3D printing,” Chris told Q13 Fox. “We didn’t have a background in either one, but all of sudden I was like, ‘why isn’t somebody putting these two things together?”
The initiative is a great way to address 2 problems we’re facing and make an efficient solution out of them. About 28-billion pounds of plastic ends up in our oceans while approximately 40 million people need prosthetics. Even though the company states that they “are not licensed prosthetists“, the initiative is a great one. Probably, as they grow they can acquire more expertise and help people along the way as necessary.
Featured image courtesy of Million Waves Project and video courtesy of Q13 News.
