1 Jul 2013
ERJ staff report (BC)
New York – Tennessee duckling buttercup was born with a deformed (backward-facing) foot, reports Carol Kuruvilla for the New York Daily News.
This predisposed him to pain and infection as well as severely impairing his mobility. Thanks to 3D printing company NovaCopy and friends at the Feathered Angels Waterfowl Sanctuary at Arlington, Tennessee, Buttercup will soon be walking around on a high-tech silicone foot after amputation of the deformed one.
Mike Garey of Feathered Angels, a trained software engineer, contacted 3D printing company NovaCopy, which agreed to “foot” the bill for the design and construction of a prosthesis.
Garey used images of Buttercup’s sister Minnie’s left foot to get an accurate configuration. It took the team more than 13 hours to print a plastic model. But they knew that a hard resin would slow Buttercup down. The printers are now creating an appendage made of silicone. It will be located securely and comfortably on Buttercup’s leg via an elastic silicone sheath.
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Full story from New York Daily News
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