The Contribution of Additive Manufacturing in the Design of Inclusive Prostheses

One of the main means through which people with severe physical impairments can enhance their quality of life is through prostheses. However, traditional design and manufacturing techniques mainly tied to conventional industrial technologies used in the creation of prostheses limit the opportunity of people to fully enjoy enabling solutions when transposed into everyday life situations. The use of socially inclusive design approaches and innovative 3D Printing technologies could help designers creating inclusive solutions that improve the quality of life of all users, whilst reducing the social stigma associated with having a prosthetic body part. Accordingly, designers can significantly contribute to reducing negative impacts resulting from the use of such solutions. This study examines the inclusive design and manufacturing of inclusive prostheses using 3D Printing technologies, as well as enabling topics for design advancements and positive effects on the user experience of people with physical impairments. This study shows how the combination of Inclusive Design and AM benefits the creation of enabling prostheses in an innovative and more socially oriented way.