Acquisition of Advanced Polyjet Multimaterial 3D Printer

项目概要/摘要： 我们建议购买一台先进的多功能3D打印机（Stratasys J750），以促进研究活动 在芝加哥康复研究所（RIC）的多个小组中， 世界上这台机器将迅速成为RIC研究基础设施的一个组成部分， 促进设计创新，提高单位研究经费的生产率，并实现定制部件的制造 和改进的人体研究界面。我们的长远目标是加强了解 治疗影响人类能力的疾病和伤害。RIC研究侧重于开发新的 了解和治疗各种疾病的技术，包括中风、截肢、脑外伤 损伤和脊髓损伤。RIC研究人员是康复工程各个领域的领导者， 在各自的领域内，在国内和国际上广泛合作; RIC研究的一个独特方面 是研究人员、临床医生和残疾人之间的密切合作。J750打印机将 被几个RIC研究小组用来促进迭代设计和创新，并开发新的 用于研究或治疗的设备。该仪器将提供给RIC内的研究人员和临床医生， 按成本计算（考虑所用材料）。在RIC创建这些产品的能力（而不是像 将工作外包给3D打印设施）将大大降低成本和周转时间 时间，这将使更快的研究进展;更多的设计优化和测试周期，为给定的 研究预算;创新-快速测试可能导致新研究领域的新想法。的 通过在适当患者组中进行工程和迭代测试来优化器械设计的能力， 对RIC的研究是一个宝贵的补充。该仪器还将能够生产定制零件， 个人研究对象的设备，这是目前禁止的成本和时间。适合的设备 更好、更舒适，可以进行更精确的生物力学研究。有效的技术 符合人体工程学和生物力学的患者更有可能成功地融入 康复方案，并且可能对预期用户有更大的益处。这其中的独特之处， 最先进的机器，包括能够用不同的材料打印各种不同的材料 属性（例如，软或硬表面），将使我们能够改善人机界面， 提高用户舒适度和安全性。鉴于RIC的许多不同研究领域，这种多功能3D 打印机将有助于在康复工程和研究的几个领域的进步。

Project Summary/Abstract: We propose to purchase an advanced, versatile 3D printer (the Stratasys J750) to facilitate research activities within multiple groups at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC)—the largest rehabilitation research facility in the world. This machine, which will rapidly become an integral part of the RIC research infrastructure, will facilitate design innovation, enhance productivity per research dollar, and enable manufacture of custom parts and improved interfaces for human subjects research. Our long-term objective is to enhance the understanding and treatment of diseases and injuries that affect human ability. RIC research focuses on development of novel technologies to understand and treat a diverse array of conditions including stroke, amputation, traumatic brain injury, and spinal cord injury. RIC researchers are leaders in diverse areas of rehabilitation engineering and collaborate extensively, both nationally and internationally, within their fields; a unique aspect of RIC research is the close collaboration between researchers, clinicians, and individuals with disability. The J750 printer will be used by several RIC research groups to facilitate iterative design and innovation, and to develop novel equipment for research or therapy. The instrument will be available to researchers and clinicians within RIC on an at-cost basis (taking into account materials used). The ability to create these products at RIC (instead of, as is currently necessary, outsourcing jobs to 3D printing facilities) will substantially reduce costs and turnaround time, which will enable faster research progress; more cycles of design optimization and testing for a given research budget; and innovation—rapid testing of new ideas that may lead to new areas of research. The ability to optimize device design through engineering and iterative testing in appropriate patient groups will be an invaluable addition to RIC research. The instrument will also enable production of custom parts and appliances for individual research subjects, which is currently prohibited by cost and time. Devices that fit better and are more comfortable will enable more precise biomechanical studies. Technology that works ergonomically and biomechanically with the patient is more likely to be successfully integrated into rehabilitation protocols, and is likely to be of greater benefit to the intended user. The unique features of this state-of-the-art machine, including the ability to print a wide variety of different materials with diverse material properties (e.g., soft or hard surfaces) within a single device, will allow us to improve human-robot interfaces to enhance user comfort and safety. Given the many diverse areas of research at the RIC, this versatile 3D printer will contribute to advances in several fields of rehabilitation engineering and research.