MUMBAI, India, Aug. 31 -- Intellectual Property India has published a patent application (202641100366 A) filed by Vignans Foundation For Science, Technology And Research on August 19, 2026, for A Cost-Effective 3d-Printed Prosthetic Limb Design And Fabrication Framework For Resource- Constrained Environments.
Inventors include Mr. A. N. Harshith Vardhan; Dr. Gayatri Ketepalli; Mr. Irfan Sayyad; and Ms. T. Sri Vyshnavi.
The application for the patent was published on August 28, 2026, under issue no. 35/2026.
Abstract: ABSTRACT [0018] Conventional upper-limb prosthetic devices remain expensive and difficult to obtain for many amputees living in low-resource settings because of specialised manufacturing facilities, costly materials and lengthy fitting procedures. The present invention discloses a cost-effective 3D-printed prosthetic limb design and fabrication framework that integrates ergonomic design principles, parametric CAD modelling, affordable materials and optimised additive manufacturing into a single process. Polylactic acid, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene and thermoplastic polyurethane are selected to balance strength, flexibility and cost. Individual components are modelled parametrically so that forearm length, stump diameter and wrist orientation can be adjusted rapidly. Components are printed on desktop fused-deposition-modelling machines, post-processed and assembled with standard fasteners and elastic elements. Experimental implementation demonstrates that a complete functional prosthetic limb can be fabricated at a material cost of approximately four hundred Indian rupees (about five United States dollars) in roughly seven hours while providing satisfactory comfort, grip capability and structural reliability. The modular architecture permits local repair or replacement of individual parts, and the open-source workflow enables production by trained volunteers or local healthcare workers. The framework therefore offers a scalable, affordable and sustainable route to prosthetic provision for underserved populations.
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