Samantha Kimbrough of Hickory Plains was born without a right hand. She had a prosthetic hand starting at age four until she came home in the second grade one day crying and threw the hand across the room saying she would never wear it again.
"After a long evening of prying out of her why she'd not wear it again, she stopped crying long enough to tell me that the kids had called her robohand," said her mother, Melody Kimbrough. "Many people after that time offered to help her get a prosthetic, but she would refuse. Then in the summer of 2015 prior to her senior year in high school, x-rays showed new bone growth that would enhance use of an artificial hand."
After that good news, her occupational therapist, Mark Ellis, asked her if she had ever heard of a new 3D print program for kids like her called Robohand. Amazed at the coincidence between the name of the device and what kids had called her in school, Samantha and her mom both got chills and said at the same time, "It's a God thing!"
Ellis arranged for the Kimbroughs to meet with Michael Karr at the College of the Ouachitas (COTO), which had invested funds to acquire 50 Makerbot 3D printers.
"We all met and saw a video that showed how much the hand could change Samantha's quality of life," Melody Kimbrough said. "I was in tears and her eyes got as big as saucers with excitement. She knew that no one would make fun of her any more with this new technology/hand."
Karr told her that he wouldn't know if she would be a good candidate for the hand until after he built it for her. In mid-December, they watched Karr construct Samantha's hand.
"It was fascinating to watch him mold, construct, and reconstruct her hand out of all the 3D pieces Michael had made for her," Kimbrough said. "Mark Ellis also had previously helped us with some of the parts, and we gave them to Michael who began to form everything to her little hand to how it felt best."
Later that day she used her new right Robohand to shake hands with the college president.
"The RoboHand has changed Samantha's life only for the better," Kimbrough said. "She loves it. She can move it, pick things up, and live a normal girl's life."
This is the second hand produced at the college. The first was for a young boy in Chicago. The college has printed the components for approximately fifty hands which are currently in storage ready to be shipped to Robohand for final assembly.
Printing a Robohand looks simple. However, Karr said printing Kimbrough's hand was definitely one of the harder prints he has been able to successfully complete.
"It took me approximately two weeks of attempted prints before I had a full set of functional parts - but the real task was just beginning," Karr said. "I spent the next three days manually sanding and gauging each part to ensure it fit as specified. We scheduled the fitting for December 10. It was a very emotional moment in all of our lives. I remember receiving several pats on the back and told how extraordinary this work was. Yet, what I did, anyone can do with the proper training. That is the real beauty of 3D printing, especially when it comes to orthopedics and helping others."
The total cost of materials is only about $250, making in reach of people who couldn't afford more expensive solutions.
They do not call the Robohand a prosthetic device, instead preferring the term Anatomically Driven Mechanical Device.
"While it can function like a prosthetic, and potentially be a better fit for some people, we are not medical professionals," Karr said. "3D printing itself is an exciting area in which to work. Technological advances in 3D printing have now made it possible to print in mediums we would have never thought possible, including living tissues. Access to 3D printers is becoming the norm and it is becoming more affordable for individuals to own 3D printers. I saw one (a Makerbot) for sale the other day at Sam's Wholesale Club."
Anyone who has ever had a hand injury knows how difficult it can be to go through a day or a week with only one hand. Over time, people adapt to using only one limb. However, it is still very difficult in today's world.
"Prosthetic limbs are generally complex and expensive pieces of hardware and software, which often are not robust enough to survive the life of a kid," Karr said. "With a 3D printed mechanical hand, if something breaks, a replacement part can be printed and fit. There are no electrical components, so it can be used while swimming or bathing. Further, with a wide arrangement of filament choices, a hand can be printed in nearly any color, or even from exotic materials such as PLA infused with wood or bronze. This makes a Robohand a valid option for children and those that cannot afford a more expensive alternative."
Karr said it was very rewarding to hear the new enthusiasm that Samantha has since receiving her hand.
"I have also heard from others that the psychological impact of having a new hand is tremendously positive, helping reinforce self-esteem, the ability to perform everyday tasks more successfully, even picking up new hobbies or talents that require two hands, rather than just one," he said.
COTO currently offers an entrepreneurial class for 3D printing. The primary focus is on how 3D printing is currently being used in various industries.