RC Maracas/St. Joseph Engages 3D Printing To Create Digital Humanitarians
Posted by Sean Paddy on Oct 11, 2016
In a concerted effort to inspire “Service Above Self” amongst youths, the Rotary Club of Maracas/St. Joseph is leveraging the power of 3D printing. The pilot project, known as eNABLE INTERACT, will see the Rotary Youth Interact Clubs of Hillview College and St. Joseph’s Convent, St. Joseph collaborate with an international organization known as the enable Community Foundation (ECF). The latter is a global network of passionate volunteers using 3D printers to create prosthetic, mechanical hands for persons in need.
The evolution of the organization is an amazing story that epitomizes the positive outcomes that can result from surfing the internet and watching YouTube videos. It began in April 2011 with a South African carpenter who lost some fingers and made contact with a prop maker from Washington State after seeing a post on the internet showing props of mechanical hands. What occurred in the ensuing months and years is nothing short of astounding. The ideas generated from their collaboration became a source of assistance and inspiration to many others and a YouTube video they posted resulted in the creation of 3D software and printed parts for assembly into basic functioning hands in an open source environment. It has since changed the lives of over 1800 people, mainly children, who are now able to perform many tasks requiring the use of two hands.
The launch of the local chapter took place on Sunday 9th October 2016 at Hillview College, Tunapuna where Youth Services Director, Dr. Romanie Gunness, gave the students an overview of the project, the code of conduct, the necessary knowledge base and all the online resources required to create a quality 3D prosthetic hand to internationally accepted standards and specifications. Special emphasis was placed on the elements of teamwork and commitment.
On hand was the General Manager of FOJO’s 3D printing Mr. Leon Granger and his technical support team member Mr. Gerard Ragbir who enlightened the attentive group on the infinite possibilities of 3D printing in a myriad of fields, the various models of 3D printers and their capabilities and the relative costs of materials and builds. There were impressive demonstration pieces on display and one of the company’s 3D printers.
The International Educational Exchange coordinator for ECF, Mr. Rich Lehrer of Massachusetts, delivered an interactive session via Skype, where he shared his involvement with the group and, of great interest, the creation of curriculum to utilize 3D printing of prosthetic hands to teach STEM concepts, empathy, creative thinking and project based learning in schools.
It is the goal of the Interact Clubs of Hillview College and St. Joseph’s Convent, St. Joseph, to ultimately assist persons within the local community after successful completion of the pilot phase allows them to get matched with recipients. Truly a generation of digital humanitarians combining electronic communication, 3D printing and goodwill to grow an assistive technology network.
For more information on the eNABLE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, please visit: http://www.enablecommunityfoundation.org/
For information on getting involved through eNABLING THE FUTURE, please visit: http://enablingthefuture.org/