Development of the educational program for health-related professions in easy creation of 3D printed assistive devices

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K12893
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 90150:Medical assistive technology-related
• Research Institution: Kyorin University
• Principal Investigator: KONDO TOMOKO 杏林大学, 保健学部, 教授 (90274084)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 澤田 有希 帝京科学大学, 医療科学部, 講師 (40747995) ; 硯川 潤 国立障害者リハビリテーションセンター(研究所), 研究所 福祉機器開発部, 研究室長 (50571577) ; 原田 祐輔 杏林大学, 保健学部, 助教 (60611001)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 人間工学 / リハビリテーション科学 / 福祉工学 / 福祉用具 / 支援機器 / 健康 / 福祉工学 / 作業療法学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study is to develop an educational program that enables healthcare and caregiving professionals to create personalized 3D-printed assistive tools easily according to user needs with the knowledge about the application range of 3D-printed assistive tools and minimum basic engineering skills. This research specifically focuses on occupational therapists who have frequent opportunities to evaluate and create assistive devices. The study involves surveying the current practices of occupational therapists in creating 3D-printed assistive devices, investigating the strengths and weakness, the procedures of assessment and production of such devices, as well as conducting an analysis from an engineering perspective on existing 3D-printed assistive tools. Based on these findings, an introductory program called "Short-term program on three-dimensional printed self-help devices for occupational therapists” was developed.

Free Research Field

複合領域

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

福祉用具は，高齢者や障害者が安全かつ充実した日常生活や社会参加を行うために必要不可欠である．近年普及しつつあるデジタルファブリケーション（DF）技術は，安全性・耐久性・復元性に優れ，かつ,個々の身体形状や用途に合わせた造形を可能とするが, DF技術を活用できる医療・介護専門職は限られており，十分に普及しているとは言えない．本研究で開発された3D自助具制作入門プログラムを専門職養成プログラムに組み込み、3Dプリント自助具を簡易に設計・製作できる医療・介護専門職が増えることで，3Dプリント自助具を利活用する高齢者・障害者が増える可能性がある．