Discussing the Challenges in Creating an Online Library of 3D Printable Assistive Living Devices

Abstract

Our goal is to identify the barriers and process of creating a digital library of medical assistive devices that can be personalized and 3D printed for people living with disabilities. In the past, and true today, traditional manufacturing methods make it cost prohibitive to create personalized devices to assist individual patients with their activities of daily living (ADL). Now and in the immediate future, availability and affordability of 3D printing makes it feasible to produce low volumes of devices, on demand, using a distributed manufacturing model. This document discusses three main challenges to originating and creating this library: (1) the validity of using 3D printing for assistive device technology, (2) organizational approaches to optimize the library accessibility, and (3) creating an intuitive search method to navigate the library.