Robotic Arms, Old Ideas , New Applications (Real Life In 3-D)

"If you have a model it becomes easier" , from robotic limbs, Bioniks is working on a range of products such as surgical models, prosthetic for animals and plastic casts that could potentially revolutionize Pakistan's healthcare and veterinary industry.

The 3-D technology Bioniks uses is not new it has been around since the early 1980s , but its use on a more commercial and larger-scale began a decade ago.The last 10 years has seen a string of firsts in 3-D .Thomas Boland o Clemson University patented the use of inkjet printing for cells in 2003; 3-D printing has since been used to make everything from skin to bladders.Visitors to the 2014 International Manufacturing Technology Show in Chicago saw the world's first 3-D printed vehicle- the electric car,dubbed the 'Strati' (the Italian word for layer) took 44 hours to be made.Similarly, in October of last year, Netherlands announced that it had made the world's first 3-D printed concrete bridge; the eight-meter bicycle bridge in Gemert took three months to make and can bear a load of five tonnes.

The Technology also shortens the time it takes to make something and lowers its cost. Take robotic arms for instance. The starting price of a robotic arm in Western countries ranges from 7,000-10,000 US dollars and can cost more than that. Those designed and produced by Bioniks, however, start at 30,000 rupees- a fraction of the international price. So far, 10 to 12 customers have been provided with robotic arms. Being a non-profit , Pakistani specialist point out they don't want to sell the prosthetics at a high price and often work with donors and not-governmental organisations to fund their clients' prosthetics. "Our goal is to provide them free of cost if possible," says Pakistani doctor Mr.Qureshi.

The low cost and the ease with which it can be attached also makes having a functioning prosthetic within the reach of many Pakistanis. Till now, most amputees or those born with a congenital defect only had the option of an artificial limb. The robotic arm, however, unlike a mechanical one, can be also be used by people who don't have an elbow- it simply has to be strapped on with Velcro straps. It's also lighter: a robotic arm weighs 600 grammes whereas a mechanical one weighs around 1.5 kilogrammes. To move the robotic arm, the recipient simply has to think of what it wants the arm to do- electromyography censors then detect the electrical signals from the muscles which move the robotic arm and its fingers.