A graduate has developed a 3D- printed exoskeletal cast..

[Playinghardball]

[siligut]

1. A link from The Daily Mail

Did you not include a link because of the sources?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2354852/Is-plaster-cast-future-Designer-uses-3D-printing-create-tailormade-exoskeleton-help-heal-broken-bones.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490

This is wonderful, traditional casts, though they have improved through the years still didn't allow for airflow and skin care. As this is a perfect fit for any individual, the need for padding is eliminated too.

[Playinghardball]

2. Oops, sorry about that...

Here...http://bit.ly/1cMgoI6

[siligut]

4. Much better link

Thanks for posting this, very cool

[VanillaRhapsody]

3. as someone who is currently recovering from surgery for a broken wrist....I find this absolutely

awesome! I didn't have to wear a cast thankfully....a plastic splint was fashioned that was uniquely designed to fit me....a surprise for me to discover. This would be the next generation of the plastic splint they made for me at the hand occupational therapist office.!

[coeur_de_lion]

5. really could have used one of these

when I broke my wrist in April. Even fiberglass casts are so heavy and do so much damage to the muscles and skin.

[tridim]

6. Very cool, but how does the wrist part slip over the hand?

I can see maybe squeezing into it if your arm is healthy, but will that work if someone has a painful broken bone?

Still, a very good idea.

[Posteritatis]

7. I imagine it'd be tailored to the specific type of break. (nt)

[tridim]

8. Right, but it's precisely form-fitted and I assume extremely stiff.

If so, putting it on would be as impossible as slipping out of handcuffs. The hand is much bigger than the wrist.

[Paulie]

9. Can be cut and glued I suspect.

That's all 3D printed items are generally. Small pieces of plastic or metal with a glue binder.

[tinrobot]

10. It has seams that are glued together.

If you look close, you can see one of the seams.

[tridim]

11. Kind of defeats the elegance of the thing, but I guess it's necessary.

It's be cool if they could print it in place, already installed on the patient's arm.