3D Printing And The Momentous Change For Africa's Amputees A stunning breakthrough has been achieved with 3D printing, that will help amputees in Uganda and potentially across the developing world.

A new method of creating prosthetic limb sockets has enabled a three-year-old child to be quickly fitted with a prosthetic limb and socket, at a fraction of the normal cost. The charities and technologists involved expect the work to lead to a significant change in how patients are helped, with costs eventually cut from $5,000 to $250 per prosthetic fit.

For the project, the University of Toronto is working with Christian Blind Mission � a non-governmental organization that helps people with disabilities in developing countries � as well as software supplier Autodesk ADSK +0.17% and the CoRSU rehabilitation hospital in Mpigi, Uganda.

Professor Matt Ratto, of the University of Toronto faculty of information, tells Forbes that 3D printing offers �a faster way to create prosthetics�, with the time to completion cut �from one week to approximately one or two days�. The fit of such sockets is also improved � something that was often a problem with traditional methods and caused some wearers great discomfort.

In order to create each fitting, the plaster-based casting part is replaced with scanning and digital modeling, and the thermoplastic moulding or fibreglass layout is replaced with 3D printing. A 3D scan of a residual limb can be sent within seconds to a prosthetist who can design a replacement, sending that file back to the hospital be printed.

Saving this time is vital, Professor Ratto explains, because �even if the prosthetic limb and fitting is fully paid for by government of philanthropy, it is difficult for people in a subsistence economy to leave their farms or jobs for a week to get it�.

In addition, he says, reducing the time �also means that the prosthetists in the developing world can produce more prosthetics�.

In order to operate the technology, the standard prosthetics skillset �is still required�, but it does allow those with the skills to be more productive. �Our toolchain includes an inexpensive 3D scanner, a standard laptop with our Socketmixer software, and a home or small business type 3D printer,� totalling about $6,000 in value, he says.

In spite of the initial costs involved, the efficiency gains and quickly reduced cost of production make it a useful investment for hospitals. And with the �availability of low-cost 3D scanning and printing technology�, and the development of new materials for 3D printing, there is huge potential development for the future.