DAY 1: Monday, 4 May 2009
We are collecting knowledge. Appie Rietveld http://www.kortermaarkrachtig.nl gave us a very nice introduction on prosthetic legs. He brought 3 different models with him which he is wearing him self. He gave us an inside into the world of amputees, the different technologies, the problems, the most important things on prosthetics etc.
During a session in Fablab, Appie was explaining several types of prosthetics that he brought for the session. He explain prosthetics constructions and materials that was used commonly in the Netherlands and several fragile points in the structure that must be given further attention in the production process. Mostly the prosthetic that was showed by Appie was created using enhanced technology which making the prosthetics price could reach 10,000 euros each. He also explain different policies that is used by different insurance companies for the handicap people in The Netherlands. It really depends on the company that could allowing them to get a free prosthetics regularly for an amount of time. This is very important as every prosthetics have their own effective usage duration.
For a comparison to whether this prosthetics would be suitable to produced in Indonesia, HONF represented by Tommy Surya and Irene Agrivine explain the situation and condition for handicap people in Indonesia. Many HONF projects with YAKKUM rehabilitation centre has given knowledges about handicap people position in the society in Indonesia. Tommy also explain the producing of prosthetics in Indonesia is still done manually and consumes too many times to make. Prosthetics price is very expensive for the people in Indonesia. He also give an example about Sugeng; a handicap prosthetics maker in Indonesia, get a grant from Research and Technology Ministry of Indonesia to launch its “The 1,000 Prostheses
Movement” program, designed to help disabled people get prostheses so
they can resume their normal activities.
Responding to the situation and conditions in Indonesia, Appie shared an information about Jaipurfoot; an organization in India that make prosthetics with cheap materials. Corresponding this informations, all participant in this workshop shared some informations that they know about prosthetics and screen them. Appie showed one of the most advanced prosthetic available in market in the present day; which is Touch Bionics from Scotland. After exchanging this information, a discussion among the participants started to determine which technology that is suitable to apply in the prosthetic modeling for Indonesian handicap people. The most important variable besides its' construction and usability is the adaption of the models that already showed to economical situation and condition for Indonesian people. The discussion brings several creative ideas such as using bamboo materials to make the prosthetic less expensive so it will be affordable by handicap people in Indonesia. The goal of the ideas for this workshop is cheaper price from the cheapest prosthetic that is been produced so far in Indonesia. The price range of the prosthetic that will be made should be in between 50 to 100 euros.
Focussing on prosthetic construction, Marcel Conradi from De Hoogstraat - Orthopedietechniek. Marcel is an Orthopedist specialist in The Netherlands came to share his knowledge to the participants in this workshop. It is crucial for this workshop to knows basic knowledge in prosthetic constructions and designs before realizations of the ideas from day 1. Marcel recommended for the participants to focus on bellow knee prosthetics. One of the important variables that he outlined is to determine the alignment (front and side) of the prosthetics prototype that will be made to support the weight point that support half of the body. He later then explain several ways in measuring and determining the precision of the alignment, how to: built an ideal socket to fit the body part of the user, joints, foot and materials that could be used to achieve cheaper in production cost without disregarding the quality of the prosthetic.
After drawing sketches and plans on what will be best to achieve in the workshop, Alex also explain to Marcel about Fablab missions. Alex invited Marcel to use Fablab fabrication tools if he had difficulties in prosthetic making. As the discussion advanced into ideas of what Fablab can do to help in prosthetic fabrications, Marcel took the participant for a visit to Kamer Orthopedie workshop that is located 25 minutes by car from Fablab. Mr Kamer, the director of the factory warmly welcomed us with a tour inside the workshop with technical info and the technology that was used. He provide valuable information as well for the prototype designing. According to him, he have given few workshops in Indonesia about orthopedy and he has been doing prosthetic making more than 40 years. In 2005, he also has established Stichting Revalidatioe Cirebon (SRC); a non profit organization for handicap children in Java island, Indonesia. With his next visit to Indonesia in the late of May 2009, Mr Kamer invited HONF personal to visit SRC for a further research on prosthetic.
After the visit, all the participants discuss their plans, ideas and start to work on their presentation for the last day of the workshop.
DAY 3: Wednesday, 6 May 2009
The activity on the last day in Fablab was started with a presentation and introduction about Fablab from Peter Trolexer, Senior Project Manager of Fablab Amsterdam. The presentation mainly to explain what Fablab activities, goals and the reason on collaboration with HONF in expanding Fablab future plans in Indonesia. Peter's presentation continued with a final presentation on plans, knowledge and ideas that was built during the workshop by the participants. The presentation was given by Tommy Surya, Irene Agrivine and Alex Schaubb that started with a brief introduction about HONF and its' projects with YAKKUM rehabilitation centre in Yogyakarta. This was the main outline why Fablab and HONF creating prosthetic workshop to create an affordable prosthetic prototype. The plan to make a rapid prototype for the prosthetic was unable to initiated due to the complexity of variables that must be considered in the process given by Appie, Marcel, and Mr. Kamer as the resource persons in this workshop. Even though we gain knowledges and built ideas such as using bamboo and other materials that should be fitted in creating $ 50 prosthetics, the participants agree that in order to create it, further research about prosthetics for developing countries is substantial.
The presentation led to a discussion among all audience and participants in the session. A critical question from the audience was without Fablab in Yogyakarta, should this prosthetic prototyping research still will continue? Responding to this question, HONF activities in workshops with YAKKUM rehabilitation centre will continue with or without Fablab in Yogyakarta. However the prosthetic production and prototyping will need Fablab's facilities as up until now the prosthetic making and production still done manually with minimum equipments. This conditions led to a long duration in prosthetic production that makes a long prosthetic waiting list for handicap people in Yogyakarta especially after the earthquake in 2006. HONF believe Fablab machines and equipments could be very helpful in the production making with YAKKUM rehabilitation centre. The session was later on closed with a teleconference with Prof. Hugh Herr from MIT Biomechanics Institute to discus about the output of the workshop and the possibilities of MIT to help in follow up on prosthetic research.
The file of Prosthetics Workshop presentation can be download here
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name of file : Fablab-Honf-Presentation.zip
size : 16mb
kind : powerpoint presentation file (.ppt)
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