Engineering students have created custom-made equipment for disabled people, to help them live more independent lives.
3D-printed bespoke, temporary prostheses with a variety of special attachments will help people with recent amputations with daily activities like carrying shopping bags and eating, thanks to a new, modular design with interchangeable tools that attach to the interim artificial limb.
And a robotic assistive guitar strumming device has been built to help a classically-trained guitarist, following a stroke, return to playing his favourite song “A Horse with No Name”.
These innovative projects are part of a new collaboration between the University and REMAP, the only charity in the UK whose community of volunteers create innovative, personalised equipment for disabled people, free of charge.
Dr Anthony Herbert, Undergraduate Programme Lead for Medical Engineering in the School of Mechanical Engineering, who leads the partnership, said: “This gives students the opportunity to use their creativity, enthusiasm and technical skills on real-world engineering challenges that genuinely matter.
“By working with REMAP, they see first-hand how their ideas can improve quality of life for individuals and communities, which is incredibly motivating: they are gaining valuable new skills and experience that goes far beyond the classroom.”
One team has developed an innovative process that uses digital tools to rapidly create bespoke temporary prostheses. The result is a new, documented process that, with further refinement, could be followed by REMAP’s volunteer engineers to produce custom, interim prostheses in as little as a week, using a standard 3D printer.
The method and process the students have devised can provide a vital stop gap between the healing of someone’s wound after surgery and getting their long-term prosthetic arm or hand from the NHS.
Gerry Van Hee, chair of REMAP Leeds, said: “This will mean faster, more tailored and effective solutions, improving the benefits to our clients at a time when they are waiting for their long-term solution.”
Mandy Neal and George Glasgow, who both have upper‑limb amputations, shared their experiences with the students to aid their understanding of challenges faced by people with limb differences.
George, who is also a volunteer engineer with REMAP, said: “The method and process the students have devised can provide a vital stop gap between the healing of someone’s wound after surgery and getting their long-term prosthetic arm or hand from the NHS.
“This approach is quick, and it gives the client the ability to start getting back to normal daily activities which their amputation has left them unable to do, like using cutlery and combing their hair.
“And actually, enabling people to do these things is not just about a physical achievement, it will really help to boost their mental well-being and adjustment to a new way of doing things.”
The team, who are all set to graduate this summer after completing a four-year integrated master's degree in engineering, used a digital scanner, sticking small sensors on to George’s residual limb – like systems used to capture 3D objects for computer gaming. This generated a 3D model, which was then 3D printed. The technology captures the limb’s exact geometry, ensuring a custom fit, which is a lot harder to achieve using traditional plaster cast moulds.
To further improve and speed up the process, they split the design into four modular components: one custom part, one adjustable and two pre-built.
The prosthesis and its tools can be easily attached and detached without external assistance. They have been specifically designed so they can be used by people with amputations affecting both arms, who may experience barriers in activities that typically rely on two hands working together, as many everyday tasks do.
The interchangeable tools include a spork style eating tool, pincer grip for fine holding and manipulation, and a large hook grip for holding heavy bags.
Cameron Delaney, Mechanical Engineering student, said: “There’s not as much research and development focused on engineering solutions to help support people with disabilities, so this gave us chance to channel bold ideas into something that has never been done before. Plus, you’re making something that will actually help someone.”
He added: “The highlight of the project has been working with REMAP, and specifically George, who is an amputee. He’s been able to give us such incredible insights into the world of having an amputation and being able to see and hear how our work is paying off – from him – has been exceptional.”
Fellow Mechanical Engineering student Hugo Wong said: “This had a lot more practical aspects than some of the other projects, which are more research based. It offers more hands-on experience, and I think you learn a lot more through that. It has also allowed us to be really creative, with no constraints. And you actually get to see the impact, on real people.”
The prosthesis team was supervised by Professor Pete Culmer and Research Fellow Rory Turnbull, while the guitar team was supervised by Dr Andrew Jackson, all Mechanical Engineering. Mark Crossley, volunteer engineer with REMAP, also worked on the projects, alongside Gerry and George.
By working with REMAP, they see first-hand how their ideas can improve quality of life for individuals and communities, which is incredibly motivating: they are gaining valuable new skills and experience that goes far beyond the classroom.
The idea for the collaboration was sparked by former University of Leeds student Fareda Al Wakeel, who – after graduating – asked Dr Herbert, her former tutor, for a reference so she could volunteer with REMAP. She has since completed a number of projects with the charity.
Dr Herbert immediately recognised the potential for students to get involved and connect their academic learning with real-world impact, while benefiting people in the local community. He invited the charity to join forces so that Mechanical and Medical Engineering students, as well as Product Design students, could apply their skills to design user-focused solutions to challenges faced by REMAP clients.
When 73-year-old John Pattison heard about the collaboration, he told REMAP he’d love to be involved as he has been unable to play his beloved guitar since having a stroke in 2017. The group of young engineers – who all play instruments themselves – applied both creativity and empathy to the challenge of finding a way for him to recreate the arc movement needed to strum.
They created a device that works like an assisted pull up machine in the gym: it helps the user with the movement, but they must initiate it for the device to kick in and help. And just as in the gym, the end goal is to strengthen the user to a point where they no longer need the support. To use the assistive device the client simply slides their hand into an open, fingerless glove, specially designed so that it can be put on independently by someone with reduced hand mobility.
John said: “Sadly, due to ill health, I’ve not been able to test the device yet. However, I’ve been so impressed by the students’ diligence and enthusiasm, and the project is very innovative in its design and capability. The partnership between the University and REMAP has highlighted the need for these kinds of projects, as it is so helpful for different generations to work together.”
Mechanical Engineering student Phil Asante-Siaw, 22, who worked on the project, said: “I have found the real-world application and tangible impact of this project particularly rewarding as it has allowed me to work on engineering challenges that extend beyond the university environment and have genuine and meaningful value.
“The experience has enabled me to develop both technical and problem-solving skills in an area I hope to pursue professionally in the future.”
REMAP makes and adapts equipment to meet the unique needs of individuals at no cost to them. Dedicated volunteer engineers create solutions when no suitable alternative exists, helping with everything from mobility and personal care, to enabling people to pursue their hobbies and ambitions.
The collaboration enables the charity to offer clients with more complex requirements a chance to benefit from new technology and cutting-edge facilities, such as industrial grade 3D printers and scanners.
As part of the partnership, technicians at the University have created a customised walking stick handle – using a scanner and 3D printer – for a client with rheumatoid arthritis, whose struggle to grip a standard handle was restricting her ability to go outside. The team are currently completing a similar project to help a client with fused fingers.
And this summer, further REMAP challenges will be tackled by two Leeds interns, paid by the University.
The benefits could be even more widespread if, as Dr Herbert hopes, this collaboration is replicated by other universities, helping to foster innovation in inclusive engineering education and create a new generation of socially responsible engineers.
Further information
Top image: Students Hugo Wong and Teddy Strange show George Glasgow the 3D printed temporary prosthesis they’ve made. Credit: Mark Bickerdike for University of Leeds
For more information or media interviews contact Deb Newman via d.newman@leeds.ac.uk and copy in pressoffice@leeds.ac.uk