There’s a Lot More to Natasha’s 3D Printed Leg

By on May 7th, 2014 in Usage

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We have obtained more details of the sequence of events that led to Natasha Hope-Simpson gaining a custom-designed 3D printed prosthetic leg

Designer Melissa Ng of NYC contacted us with further details. 

But first, some quick background facts: Natasha Hope-Simpson, 24, is a Nova Scotia art student who was the victim of a tragic hit-and-run car accident and as a result lost her left leg. 

To overcome the inevitable grief, Hope-Simpson focused on the opportunities that came with the new personal situation. After delivering a public talk on her experience in which she explained that legs should be not only functional but aesthetically pleasing, she was connected to Nova Scotia-based Thinking Robot Studios, who have expertise in 3D scanning, modeling and printing. Thanks to the generosity of the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University, NovaCAD, 3D Systems, Spring Loaded Technology and the Canadian Department of National Defence, a 3D scan of her surviving leg was obtained and converted into a 3D prosthetic model suitable for printing.

But the question was, what kind of 3D pattern should be applied to the leg? A plain, smooth leg would be functional but for an art student such as Hope-Simpson, that would be an opportunity lost. 

Hope-Simpson became enamored with designer Melissa Ng’s beautiful masks offered on Shapeways. Contact was made and Ng generously donated her designs to the Hope-Simpson project. 

When the smoke cleared, the project had traveled from concept to completion is only 15 days. That is incredible. 

It’s a great success story, where tragedy reveals the generosity of many others who came together to make this happen. 

Via  Lumecluster