The University of Southampton

Author: Thomas Downer

Transforming Healthcare: The Application of 3D Printing in Biomedical Engineering

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Over the last decade, 3D printing technology has improved drastically, with the main focus from commercial businesses being to reduce their complexity and improve their usability. In contrast, whilst the technology in the medical industry has also improved, complexity has also increased with it. As a Biomedical Electronic Engineer, I am particularly interested in the application of 3D printing within the medical industry.

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So, what are the main applications of 3D printing in the medical industry?

Bioprinting

Bioprinting has revolutionised organ transplantation by offering a unique, custom solution. Foreign body rejection can be mitigated using the patient’s own stem cells reducing the need of further surgery. It also eliminates the sometimes agonizing wait time for an organ match – in March 2023, there were around 7000 people waiting for a replacement in the UK alone, so this issue could be avoided entirely. However, the high cost, complexity and ethical implications pose significant challenges, making it inaccessible for some individuals.

An explanation of bioprinting and how it works

Surgery

A 3D printed hip, similar to the one I was shown

3D printing can also be used in surgery to make custom tools for different procedures, and to aid with surgical preparation. One of the most interesting moments for me on this module was visiting the IDS building at the hospital, and learning how scans were used to create a custom hip for a lady requiring a hip replacement. This device helped the surgeons to practice the procedure, whilst also providing the patient with a safe solution. A standard operation would have been difficult and risky due to the level of bone loss; this model helped to replace necrotic (dead) tissue and also bone which had been removed from prior surgeries. After studying modules which covered topics similar to this, it was interesting to see a physical example of a hip replacement, and I found it inspiring that someone could be helped using 3D printing.

Prosthetics

Custom prosthetics can be developed to improve millions of lives – something that motivates me to pursue a career in this field. 3D printers have a massive range of flexibility when it comes to manufacturing, so different designs can be made very easily without the need of additional hardware. I am currently designing a 3D printed prosthetic hand as part of my individual project using my own FDM 3D printer. FDM (Fused Deposition Modelling) is the simplest form of 3D printing; it relies on the layering of molten thermoplastics to produce a 3D object. This project alone has illustrated to me that modern 3D printers have an extremely wide variety of uses at a relatively low cost, with further technological advancements potentially increasing the accessibility of custom prosthetics across the world, helping millions more people in the process.

A timelapse of my own 3D printed hand design using my 3D printer

I personally think that this technology will develop further to the point where any physiological issue can be resolved using something that has been 3D printed – there has been a massive advancement in this field in the last 20 years, so who knows what its capabilities could be in another 20 years!

Overall, 3D printing has provided an efficient solution to complex problems within different industries – especially the medical industry. Different printing methods have contributed to improving countless lives which has inspired many people, including myself, to develop the technology further and hopefully help many more people in the process.

Empowering Lives: How Technology Enhances Prosthetics

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Modern advancements in technology have given humans the capability to utilise the body in ways that were never even considered as being possible 100 years ago. As a Biomedical Electronics Engineer, I’m passionate about the application of myoelectric prosthetics to help people achieve a better quality of life – something made possible through modern engineering marvels.

My passion for this stemmed from a BBC show named “The Big Life Fix”, in particular, an episode about a girl who wanted to become a dancer but was unable to do so due to a partial leg amputation. The engineers on this show designed her a custom prosthetic which allowed her to fulfil her dream – this inspired me and made me want to follow in their footsteps.

News article showing how a bionic arm is aiding with improving the quality of life of amputees https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-68368439

The lecture about biological sensing particularly appealed to me, especially the article written about the “bionic arm powered by AI”. This article demonstrated how a man, born with no lower arms or legs, was shocked at the research and development made by a company in California. This prosthetic combined EMG with machine learning to power a prosthetic arm capable of performing many complex movements, whilst also having haptic feedback which allowed the user to feel when they’re gripping something. The combination of these technologies made me question: What other technologies are used in prosthetics?

What other technological innovations are evident in the prosthetics industry?

Machine learning applied to a prosthetic hand

Further exploration into this showed that many modern prosthetics use machine learning to improve their efficiency. Machine learning is a form of AI which relies on complex algorithms to analyse data and “learn” which data is more favourable, leading to more human-like decisions. Combining this with electromyography (EMG) and electronic systems paves the way for the potential for the creation of life-like artificial limbs.

Whilst 3D printing does not contribute significantly to how a prosthetic is powered, modern advancements in these technologies have allowed for rapid prototyping. The different methodologies, varying from FDM (Fusion Deposition Modelling) to SLA (Stereolithography), alongside material innovations have lead to a conclusion that 3D printing is an entirely suitable manufacturing process for prosthetic production, especially as the lead times can be very short.

Additive manufacturing techniques from https://nwirc.org/debunking-myths-of-3d-printing/

Ethical Issues with Prosthetics

Whilst the idea of prosthetics is generally a positive topic, there are issues regarding their sustainable use. A study by researchers at the University of Bristol suggests that humans could become overdependent on embodied devices which results from the seamless inclusion of machine learning. An argument that they made was that a prosthetic user would be unable to act effectively in an emergency situation due to the slow and sometimes inaccurate feedback of the device.

Another factor to consider is that some prosthetics can be invasive, requiring sub-surface EMG electrodes, with others requiring friction-fit sleeves which, over time, could cause injury to patients adding further financial stress to the healthcare sector.

Assuming that ethical issues are taken into consideration and legislation is followed, prosthetics could become the forefront of future limb rehabilitation.

The combination of these technologies with new innovations and improvements is improving the quality of life of countless individuals, which I find truly inspiring. Technology has improved drastically within the last 100 years, so the true capabilities are really unknown. Potential issues today could be solved in the near future – I find this very exciting, especially with the knowledge that people in the future requiring a prosthetic will have more promise and improved lives.

Is an extra limb the future of human augmentation?

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As a Biomedical Electronics Engineer I am extremely interested in the field of prosthesis, in particular bionics using electromyography (EMG). If the idea of having an extra limb interests you, look no further! We could be very close to achieving this…

I came across a recent study which really interested me: a collaboration of researchers from Imperial College London and the University of Freiburg came across a method allowing the addition of an extra limb, being made possible via the utilisation of unused bandwidth along neuronal pathways. This technology could be particularly useful in various engineering applications from surgery to assisting space missions.we

Imagine the idea of Dr Octopus from Spiderman becoming a reality.