Description
This orthosis arose from a search for value stemming from personalization in the interplay of parametric design and novel computer-integrated manufacturing technology. It is made from a self-conceived, elastic, 3D beaded webbing which provides an enormous range of possibilities with only two basic elements. Its plasticity can be precisely configured by variating the shape and formation of the beads as well as the elasticity and orientation of the embedded elastic cords. This principle was analyzed using models and user testing and was translated into an algorithm that calculates the webbing and its properties based on an individual’s anatomy and constitution. That way, the motion of an arm can be pointedly impeded or facilitated along the musculature in a natural way during a daily workout or even during rehabilitation after strokes or other injuries. The algorithm makes robotic manufacturing plausible as well.
