3D printer gives disabled duck's leg back

A duck that lost its paw was able to walk again with the help of a 3D printed prosthesis. This was reported by CNET .

A duck from the Canadian city of Sicamous, named Dudley, lost his paw when he was still very young: after an attack by a chicken with whom he was in the same pen.

The design of the prosthesis, with the help of which she regained the ability to walk, was developed by Terence Loring of 3 Pillar Designs, a company specializing in 3D printing of architectural models. He learned Dudley's story from his friend and decided to help.

The first prototype of the prosthesis was printed from hard plastic and consisted of three parts. However, it fell apart almost immediately after Loring decided to try his creation on Dudley.

The next version was more flexible and had no joints. With her help, Dudley was able to walk almost immediately. To prevent the plastic from rubbing the rest of the leg, Loring came up with the idea of ​​using a small sock with a pad made of a special gel used in prosthetics.

In recent years, 3D printers have become much more accessible and have gained popularity in many areas, including medicine. The ability to accurately recreate a 3D model based on individual measurements is especially useful in prosthetics.

With the help of 3D printers, they not only accurately restore lost body parts or solve various cosmetic issues, but also save lives. For example, in May 2013, a 6-month-old girl was given back the ability to breathe using a 3D printed prosthesis.

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