newatlas.com: Scoliosis is often treated by having the patient wear a corset-like spinal brace, to help guide their curved spine back into proper alignment. Typically, in order to make these braces, a plaster mold of the wearer's torso must first be obtained. As with so many other things, however, 3D printing tech may now offer a better alternative.
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This is so wonderful! I've never had scoliosis, but I grew up knowing people that did and I remember them telling me about how annoying it was to wear a back brace. They were annoyed and uncomfortable when wearing it in public because it is sort of stigmatized. I also knew people who didn't wear their back brace all together because they didn't want to be looked at strangely. I fee like with this new 3D printed version of the scoliosis back brace, it might encourage affected individuals to wear their brace more often. With the ability to customize the brace more with a visually attractive pattern, individuals might feel less insecure about what others think about them. This also reminds me a lot of those 3D printed casts-- visually attractive and palatable while also being cost-effective and less finicky. This is a great idea and I hope to see it develop further!
3D printing has become such a superpower in the field of medicine for all the reasons indicated in the article – leg and arm casts, corsets, etc. I actually really would like to know the kind of 3D printer they use to create such large, beautiful corsets. I have seen a few different kinds of 3D printers in work and they are still on the level of “new technology” in that sometimes, in their products, the plastic strands will not effectively stay together or the overall models will not quite turn out the way they are expected to in that the designs will not have perfect circles where they are needed, etc. These corsets, on the other hand, look like they were printed to near perfection and are much larger than the models that I just described. I wonder if they are as sturdy as they are said to be, as well. Often when we are pushing for new products, we exaggerate the abilities of the prototypes we have made in order to garner interest. I wonder if this is something like that or if these corsets are truly as amazing and revolutionary as they seem to be. I am hoping for the latter.
I love seeing articles about using technology, specifically 3D printing, to offer cheaper, more comfortable, and more accurate solutions and aids for medical problems. Anything that can take the burden off the family or individual who needs to buy braces or prosthetics is always heartwarming to see. One of my high school friends has scoliosis and for years she had to wear a brace/corset for years and it was the most uncomfortable thing. Being able to scan your body for the perfect fit would make it a lot easier and comfortable, though nothing about wearing something that forces your spin into the proper position is comfortable.
I wonder what material they are using for the printing. Because the normal plastic is not at all flexible and you need to breath. Im interested to see if this sparks a whole new look into making custom braces that focus on the comfort of the user.
I originally thought this article was about costuming corsets, but I almost think this is much more interesting and helpful. Obviously this technology can be applied to theatrical costuming but I really appreciate using 3D printed corsets for scoliosis patients instead of plaster. This article reminds me of another one I read about 3D printed prosthetic limbs of interesting designs for war veterans. The corsets are not only easier to make, but I’m sure wear on the body a lot better than braces made from plaster molds. Also, these corsets are just plain beautiful to look at. The designs are lovely, they hug the body like a second skin, and the designs cut in to each of them are aesthetically pleasing as well. I’m glad that 3 D printing has enabled the medical profession to take so many leaps and bounds forward all in the name of helping patients be more comfortable and healthy.
First and foremost, I love the layout of this article. It is precise and presents the research, findings, and procedure in a clear way. I was also pleasantly surprised to find that this article was about medical corsets, not costume corsets. I recall reading a similar article about using technology to find a perfectly fitting suit, cut costs, and become more efficient. This article reminded me of that advance in technology we are making, and how it rolls over into fashion. I am really interested in how technology is making its way into different areas of our lives, and to better them. I have a friend who wears a brace, and she always complained about how bland it was. I think that individuals who wear braces would really appreciate the beauty of these corsets.
This reminds me of a book I read on 3D printed prosthetic legs a few years back. The technology was so new but the medical community embraced it immediately because of it's relevant uses. I was pretty happy that this article was about fixing a problem that affected people's lives and not just another fashion innovation. However, there is aesthetic appeal in these over a traditional corset/medical corset, so the fashion industry will soon follow in doctor's footsteps with creating these custom 3D pieces. This technology could also be used for other types of braces/casts as well: neck braces, wrist braces, etc etc. I wonder what materials can be used to 3D print these because it seems like if flexible materials could be integrated into the design and print, the possibilities would be endless.
I think the idea of using technology like 3D printing to make cheaper alternatives to traditional medical solutions is a great idea. Given how often ideas like this come up when talking about prosthetics I’m kind of surprised it’s taken this long to spread to other parts of the medical world. Aside from being more comfortable and easier to modify down the line I’m curious to know how these corsets compare to the traditional ones. It seems like it would be hard to strike a balance between having a plastic that’s too flexible to help correct the spine and too stiff to be able to wear and move in. I also question how affordable the 3D printed ones are right now. They might be more cost effective to make but the last time I was looking into 3D printing it was pretty expensive and that was for small things. I could be totally wrong by now though since I haven’t really looked into 3D printing for a few years.
Anytime I see new technology be used in any field I get excited on the possibilities that it creates. The idea of 3D printing corsets for people with spinal issues definitely falls in this category. It's just plain awesome to see the creative ways to use technology now. While this is a fairly focused use for 3D printing I think that it will help open the door for others to use it in the medical world. In fact I remember reading awhile ago of trying to use 3D printing to print living tissue such as organs. We live in a awe inspiring time for the uses of technology and I can't wait to see what we do next.
I seem to be the first person to respond to this article who has actually had to wear braces similar to these for extended periods of time. Throughout middle school I went through 2 braces. The first was a simple one I had to wear all day, every day. The second was a specially fitted curved one I had to wear while sleeping. First off, I think that replacing the lifecasting with laser scanning is awesome. Holding a pose to have your torso cast, especially as a child as most scoliosis patients are, is exhausting. Adding to this the fact that often the pose that must be held is awkward and bent, and you lead to quite an unpleasant experience. I remember spending over 2 hours with my arms draped over rods designed to hold me at the right angle while 2 techs wrapped me in luke warm plaster bandages, it wasn't very pleasant. However, for me I think the most potentially life changing benefit to these 3D printed braces is the ability to design very precise structures such that the brace can be extremely thin, light weight, and perforated (for air flow, these things are HOT) without sacrificing the strength and rigidity needed for them to work. I remember in 5th grade feeling very self conscious as I had to wear a hot, bulky plastic shell with little ability to breathe under my uniform shirt. Being able to make the braces fit more seamlessly and disappear more effortlessly would be an unbelievably huge step forward for this area.
Engineering like this, which customizes a technological advancement to a unique human body for nothing but its benefit, is to me just what medicine needs. My father's work at MD Anderson Cancer Center asks him to gather and assess data on the patient experience through surveys and polling, and then to use that data to make the patient experience in the hospital better. Information ranges anywhere from how polite the doctor was to how easy it was to find the proper floor of the hospital building. The intention is always to improve how those in need of medical attention receive their care. If you've seen Robin Williams in "Patch Adams" you probably get what I'm saying; it's one thing for a doctor to be smart and give you the correct treatment, but technical medicine can only do so much to make you feel better. There are emotions and discomforts involved in medical treatment that go beyond the obvious pain. 3D printed scoliosis braces seem like the answer to that emotionally trying, uncomfortable, embarrassing side of treatment as far as scoliosis is concerned. Whoever developed this idea clearly understood this aspect and wanted to make the patient experience better than bearable. Perhaps with this advancement we will see more of its kind in the future, and more smiling patients to go along.
I think this is exceptionally amazing. I love that, like in this industry where we borrow from just about every other field in existence, people are using technology from an unrelated field to create somehting that can actually have an impact. Taking fashion and corset technology and using it to treat back problems is never somehting i ever thought I would be reading about, but the fact that I am shows me just how far some of this technology has come. Especially as 3D printing becomes more prevalent, it always makes me so happy to see that people are using this innovative technology to do real good. As someone who had to wear back brace for a good amount of time, any advancement made in this field is probably very necessary and long overdue.
This is so much cooler and smarter than the headline let it off to be. When I first opened the article I thought that it was for just normal corsets, but the fact that they are medical and to fix back issues makes so much more sense — especially once they mentioned that its predecessor was plaster. My largest concerns were that the person would not have enough movement and that the plastic would break. It is clear that the plastic is thick enough and is complex enough that it either is too think to break or — if it did break — the complex design would make it so that one small piece would break so that the overall structure stayed in tact. Also, it is clear — especially given the rigidity of its predecessor — that it does not need to allow its wearer that much freedom of movement, especially since its goal is to align the spine.
We often hear about the integration of technology into our daily lives and technology being the way of the future. While all that is true, living through the technological advances sometimes makes it difficult to take notice of them. This article provided me with a chance to realize how much technology really is advancing us.
Growing up I had a friend with a back issue who unfortunately had to wear a brace. She hated it. This new technology providing 3D printed corsets/braces for those with medical issues is incredible, and for some life changing. Not only is the brace more cost effective, and precise, it is also kind of beautiful.
The cut outs, though Im sure are there for air to move through, are also reminiscent of lace.
I wonder if those breathing holes are customizable.. If you have to wear a brace, it should at least be a little fun. Being able to customize the piece would probably make it a bit better.
Moreover, not only has 3D printing advanced the medical field, it has also blasted theater into the future, and not only in Scenery and Props. This summer I actually saw some of the Hamilton costumes up close, some of which were 3D printed. They weren't stiff, or plastic-y. They looked just as beautiful as the hand made pieces, but the difference was that those that were 3D printed could be made at 3 times the speed. Im excited to see where garment making and 3D printing meet in the future.
At Carnegie Mellon University, the integration of the arts with science and technology is an ever present theme on this campus. The use of 3D printing in this article is a great way of showcasing how well art and technology can collaborate, especially for the benefit of a common issue such as scoliosis in the case of this article. It is also intriguing to see the many ways 3D printing can be utilized. In the case of this corset, and in similar situations for 3D printing other types of prosthetics, the seamless blending of the arts into the medical community to make prosthetics and braces for visually appealing help to better the wearer of these products on a higher level than simply function. By heightening the pure aesthetic of the brace or prosthetic, it helps to remove the stigma that comes around those products to begin with by turning them into something almost equivalent to a piece of fashion instead. It will be interesting to see how the use of 3D printing further evolves in the theatre community as well.
I know nothing about corsets, but I found this article particularly interesting. People have been wearing corsets for a very long time. They have been making fashion statements since the first woman wore it way back in the day. My guess is that the techniques used to construct a corset have changed here and there over time, but I could not see it being all that different. The biggest difference would be the materials and machinery that is used. I would have never thought about 3D printing a corset. This because as static as corset makes the wearer it does need to be flexible, and using plastic doesn’t seem like the best idea in my mind. However, this is a very inventive use of the new technology, and I would never think it would be used like this. This just shows the sky is the limit with the new technology out there.
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