Learning Blade: Prosthetic Hand Mission

thingiverse

Objective: To apply students' understanding of prosthetics from the Learning Blade Dolphin Mission to a real-world engineering design project that benefits individuals in need. Description: Students will learn about e-NABLE, an organization partnering with 3D printers and individuals worldwide to provide prosthetic hands for children. They will explore the website enablingthefuture.org to watch videos on creating prosthetic hands and download designs from the site. Standards: NGSS Overview and Background Having viewed the eNABLE website, students recognize that even though the Raptor Reloaded hand is a remarkable prosthetic device, it can still be improved. As individuals or groups, they will choose an activity that the Raptor Hand cannot perform well, research an animal that excels at this task, and redesign the raptor hand with that adaptation in mind. Lesson Plan and Activity Before creating their own prosthetic devices, students explore the e-NABLE website to learn about their mission. They watch videos on creating prosthetic hands and download designs from the site. Later, they use TinkerCAD to create, download, and 3D print their prosthetic hands. Show students a complete Raptor Reloaded hand or have them assemble a few in class. Have them discuss questions like: How could this prosthetic hand impact people's lives? What things can a child do with this prosthetic hand? What activities would still be difficult to do? Students are challenged to improve the Raptor Reloaded hand. They choose an activity, research an animal that excels at it, understand the adaptation, and redesign the raptor hand with that animal's adaptation in mind. To guide students through this process, they can work through the Raptor Re-imagined handouts. The entire hand does not have to be redesigned; students will still use all parts of the original Raptor Reloaded hand but recreate the fingertips. Materials Needed 3D print a completed Raptor Reloaded hand found at Thingiverse #596966. 3D print Raptor Reloaded Knuckle Pins for single finger designs found at Thingiverse #596966. 3D print LB Raptor Reloaded Double Finger Pins. One set for each redesign using the 4 finger set. Students will now be challenged with the idea that, even though the Raptor Reloaded hand is a great prosthetic device, it can still be improved upon. As individuals or groups, students will be choosing an activity that the Raptor Hand, as it is right now, cannot do as best as it could. Students will be choosing an activity, researching an animal that can do that activity really well, understand the adaptation that has allowed that animal to do their chosen task well, and redesign the raptor hand with that animals adaptation in mind. Extensions: Have students watch and discuss a TED talk on prosthetic aesthetics by Aimee Mullins. Sign up your class for the e-NABLE community and connect with individuals around the world who need prosthetic hands. Post pictures of student designs back onto the original Thingiverse file if time allows.