Customized Finger Braces for Faster Injury Recovery 

The problem: Braces for finger injuries are stiff and immobile. Patients have to repeatedly remove them for rehab exercises. This removal process often leads to patients skipping exercises, slowing recovery time, and sometimes resulting in chronic stiffness. 

The solution: Carnegie Mellon University researchers with the National Science Foundation-funded Interactive Structures Lab created the first-ever 3D-printed finger brace that easily shifts from rigid to flexible, eliminating the need to take it off and on. 

• The customizable brace supports a patient's rehabilitation by giving them mobility and stability, depending on their needs. 
• Researchers used finger dimensions and strength to simulate a custom brace that can be 3D-printed and worn immediately — no assembly required. 

The impact: This innovation represents accessible, personalized medicine. Researchers want physicians, therapists and patients to be able to easily generate a custom brace through software and either 3D print it themselves or have the completed brace sent to them, ready to wear. 

• By eliminating the repeated removal of the brace, the technology encourages patients to more easily complete their rehabilitation routines. 
• This is key to speeding up recovery from injuries and returning to dexterous activities of daily life and work. 

Go deeper: CMU Researchers Develop Customizable Finger Brace for Injury Recovery