Ehlers-danlos syndrome Flexible Ring Splints - #AssistiveTech

thingiverse

A Good friend of mine suffers from Ehlers-danlos syndrome, a group of inherited disorders characterized by decreased tensile strength and integrity of skin, joints, and other connective tissues.\nFor her, Hyperextension of fingers causes painful swelling. I was surprised when she showed me some online ring-splints that she could purchase, but they were Very Expensive. Then, an idea struck me - why not print them myself?\nSo, I created Ehlers-danlos ring-splints for her, using 1$ worth of flexible filament and 15 minutes of printing time. It took just scaling these up or down in my printing software to fit others. She has been wearing them for a few weeks now and they apparently work well. As the swelling subsides, I am making a new set that is slightly smaller than the previous ones.\nMy hope is that this invention can benefit many people as well! \nThe following are pictures of my friend wearing her splints after the final fitting (all used with her permission).\nPrint Settings\nRafts: None Supports: No Resolution: .1 Infill: 100% Notes: I printed these using Makerbot flexible PLA. Other types of flexible filaments are being experimented with. I took hand measurements of my friend with a digital caliper, and created prototypes in Autodesk 123D.\nThen, a stable, easily printable design was established and I made several sets for my friend, which we then adjusted to fit her fingers perfectly - not too tight, but just right.\nThe prototypes included were designed to fit my large hands. Prototype test files are attached, and If this contest is won, I would appreciate guidance on making the customizer app that can be easily used.