Orthopaedic surgery lab builds sensor-embedded

Smart Casts For Children

The Billi Research Lab, supported by the Luskin Orthopaedic Institute for Children (LuskinOIC) at UCLA, aims to improve patient quality of life by developing breakthrough technologies and solutions to address unmet clinical needs. nano3Dprint has entered a collaboration with the lab so that Dr. Fabrizio Billi and his team can build integrated microcontroller systems for sensor-embedded devices for children. Devices currently under development include scoliosis braces, smart casts, and Ponseti braces, which are used to treat clubfoot.

“We’re looking forward to utilizing nano3Dprint’s B3300 Dual-Dispensing 3D Printer to further our research and development of wearables, fusion sensors, and smart textiles. Current additive technologies are not versatile enough to allow us to build the complex, multifunctional devices required to provide modern and truly disruptive healthcare,” said Dr. Billi, director of the musculoskeletal devices and technologies development group.

The Billi Research Lab’s smart cast project will deliver real-time details about the fracture healing process, providing early warning of compartment syndrome. In this dangerous condition, swelling inside the cast limits blood flow to the limb, causing tissue necrosis.

Dr. Billi and his team intend to use nano3Dprint’s B3300

Dual-Dispensing 3D Printer to research and develop wearables, fusion sensors, and smart textiles.

“We’re excited to collaborate with Dr. Billi as he pioneers new medical devices to enhance patient care. One of our primary objectives is to improve research and development via multimaterial 3D printing that ultimately leads to improvements across many sectors,” said Ramsey Stevens, nano3Dprint’s CEO. nano3Dprint’s B3300 will be used to 3D print the smart cast’s electronic package, including sensors printed directly on supports easily embeddable in the cast structure. The 3D printed circuits and sensors will allow complete integration and intelligent distribution of battery and wiring, eliminating the need for external wiring and obtrusive components. Moreover, the embedded circuit will allow for the connection of many sensors where necessary. A similar system could be made for the Ponseti brace with an electronics bar that attaches to or replaces the bar that connects the shoes. Similar electronics could be integrated into the “ribs” of an advanced scoliosis brace.

Dr. Billi and his team also hope to 3D print sensors directly on living tissues like bone, cartilage, tendons, and skin in a process already in progress that has shown promise.

“Monitoring mechanical and physiological parameters directly on the tissue would allow our team to significantly advance our understanding of health status and tissue response to treatment,” said Dr. Billi. “More importantly, they will be able to obtain the necessary biofeedback to move from developing therapeutic devices to developing theranostic devices.” DW nano3Dprint www.nano3dprint.com