Project : The Prosthetic Fingers project was developed at the Enabling Engineering Lab, where we focus on creating assistive technologies for people with disabilities. A nurse from Tennessee who had lost part of her index and pinky fingers approached us for a solution. Instead of designing a simple mechanical replacement, we emphasized empathy and aesthetics, creating a prosthetic that was not only functional but also natural-looking. The previous Design was too mechanical and also fabricated using FDM, giving it a look like bunch of links 3d printed on Ender. Also, the client lived in Tennessee while we were located in Boston, made it tough to get exact dimensions.  

Role : My role in the project was to translate the client’s needs into a mechanical design solution. I worked on understanding the functional and aesthetic requirements, ensuring that the prosthetic would provide usability while also supporting her confidence in daily interactions. Not just CADing it, I had to fabricate it as well. Assembling such small parts and super challenging.

Actions : I began by studying existing prosthetic designs and identifying the gaps that made them appear too mechanical. I got inspiration from a community  CAD designer that focused on ergonomics and aesthetics. After the design freeze, I decide to move forward with SLA 3D printing, which allowed us to capture fine details and provide a smooth finish. In order to get over the problem of dimensions, I created 6 versions with range of tolerances and I would courier her. She replies which numbered part was closest fit and than I would again make number of fingers with more close tolerance this time. 
Additionally, as in all the project, I always give something from my side. I decided to have nails on the fingers as well so as to create a more self belonging part for the prosthetic finger.