Engineering news
A team at the University of Strathclyde has developed technology, known as Majicast, to manufacture low-cost lower limb prosthetic sockets, which fit prosthesis securely to patients' residual limbs.
The academic team at Strathclyde, and members of Dutch-based social enterprise organisation ProPortion, plan to establish a service in Colombia offering artificial legs to people who have lost limbs, often through injuries from landmines, and are unable to have access to proper medical care or are unable to afford to buy prosthetic limbs. While an agreement has been reached in Colombia for a nationwide programme of landmine removal, the devices have killed or injured more than 10,000 people in the past 25 years.
Dr Arjan Buis, from Strathclyde’s Department of Biomedical Engineering, led the team that developed the Majicast technology. He said: “Colombia has a high incidence rate for amputations, not only owing to landmines but also to other causes such as diabetes and traffic accidents. However, many people there are unable to get access to prostheses.
“The Majicast is a straightforward, fully automated, easy-to-use device that will produce high quality prosthetic sockets. The Majicast’s relative ease of use is particularly important in low-income countries, where human resources are often scarce and the demand is high.
“The device has been scientifically tested and clinically validated; this method has also been shown to be more repeatable and consistent than traditional methods.
“The Majicast is currently being optimised into a market-ready product, with the help of a design agency. We expect that this social enterprise venture can be successfully piloted in Colombia, then developed for other parts of the world.”
Merel Rumping, from ProPortion, developed the idea for the leg bank after hearing of a surgeon in Thailand who, frustrated by a lack of access to quality prostheses, created his own from plastic bottle caps. She was also inspired by the many amputees without prostheses she saw during her time working with street children and former child soldiers in Colombia.
ProPortion produced the plan for a social enterprise following a feasibility study conducted with designers from Delft University of Technology.
Rumping said: “We want low-income amputees in Colombia to become socially included and financially self-sustainable by having easy access to high quality, affordable prosthesis. A potential business model is to use Majicast in combination with appropriate training aimed at clinically active people who currently perform at prosthetic technician level. We believe this will decentralise prosthetic care, meaning amputees don’t have to travel and also ensuring they are able to have their rehabilitation in their own communities.”
ProPortion has devised a potential business model which would encompass training for people who are currently operating at prosthetic technician level, enhancing the quality of their product and enabling the service to become self-sustaining. If successful, the venture could be adapted for use in other countries.
The partners in the leg bank project are currently seeking funding for the venture. They are in talks with potential investors and intend to begin a crowdfunding campaign in the near future.