What's this all about ?

I am @metrox a Swiss graphic designer living in Koh Samui Thailand and I am currently 3D printing a hand and forearm prosthesis for Arvin, a fellow graphic designer from Davao in the Philippines.

Why we need your support ?

I could just ship it to him, but as 3D printing is not an exact science, I am calling to your generosity to buy him a plane ticket to take delivery of his new hand. It will be awesome if we can meet and do the final adjustments together. I am particularly concerned by the 2 parts that connect to his elbow and need to be thermoformed after his anatomy.

I am offering him the hand and the accommodation for a few days at my place in Koh Samui.

How much is needed?

Well we already organized a fundraiser and we get 600 USD and we have an option for cheaper tickets if Arvin get his passport on time so we are not far from the goal.

To cover Vin's travel expenses: 1100 USD A few hundred dollars will be nice to bring him on different activites during his stay.

What has been done until now?

• Vin took the measurements on 3 points of his differently abled arm.
• The calculations have been done for the parametric arm model to fit his functional elbow.
• All the 3D printed models have been customized and exported as individual files.
• The color scheme has been chosen by Vin, he want a black Dark Vador arm :-)
• The 3D material (Black PLA or Polylactic acid) is on my work bench and ready to print Vin's arm.
• The 30 parts of the limb has been printed
• Hand has been assembled
• Cuff and forearm are thermoformed

What still need to be done

• Stringing
• More thermoforming with Vin
• Straps adjustments with Vin
• Testing
• Try to drink at least 50% of a Mojito with the new arm.

Did you design this arm?

No, this arm is the Alfie 2.1 parametric arm designed by Team UnLimbited.

How do you hear about Vin's need for a prosthesis?

I've simply dropped a message on the e-Nable Thailand Facebook group and he contacted me, I said, OK let's build you a hand.

Local hospital strategic partnership

I had an appointment with one of the 5 hospitals on the Island, it's too early for them to be named here but we made a deal. They will let me use an exam room tp fit the prosthesis under an orthopedist supervision, it will be much better than thermo-forming Arvin's arm in my kitchen. They will also offer my devices to the potentials patients, then they will accept media coverage. They can also act as facilitators in the obtention of a humanitarian visa.

A non-profit organization was created.

We created with my mom the Give A Hand association that will be the legal base for my operations, it is based in my home country (Switzerland). I've set up a Facebook page for this purpose. Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/Give-A-Hand-4266162643...

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3D Printer improvements and materials resupply

I've just ordered some goodies to play around. Tomorrow my local 3D plastic filament retailer will ship me 3 KG of black PLA, black ABS and white Flex. I will probably reprint the whole prosthetic using strong ABS for the clips, fingers and palm, FLEX pads for the grips on the fingers tips and the flat of the palm, and thermo-formable PLA for the forearm and the triceps cuff.

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A larger hotbed is also on his way with FedEx to increase the build size of the machine that was initially too tiny to print the forearm.

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Thank you for your support. It really helps. @metrox