2017 ICT4D Conference

3D Printing for Development (3D4D) is Anudip Foundation’s innovative program for deploying the rapidly evolving technology of 3D Printing for the benefit of highly marginalized people. Leveraging the declining price-points, Anudip is developing proofs of concept for 3D printing applications that have potential to improve livelihoods in rural India. Dipak Basu will describe two such applications that show great promise in the areas of health and entrepreneurship

• Prosthetics: Every year 23,500 amputees are added to the amputee population in India, of which 20,200 are males and 3,300 are females. The most common reasons for amputation are vascular complications (mainly diabetes), cancer, accidental trauma, and birth defects. Our 3D4D team evaluates each patient’s unique situation in order to provide him or her with the most effective and beneficial prosthetic device. Our special focus is on upper extremity prosthetics which include artificial arms, artificial hands, and prosthetics for wrists. In partnership with Enable the Community Foundation, IIT Kanpur, and the Jaipur Foot initiative, Anudip has developed and tested multiple artificial arm and hand designs which result in prosthetics that allow patients to enter or re-enter a world where they are productive and able to earn an improved livelihood. This program has passed the proof of concept stage and is operation in West Bengal and Bihar states of India.

• Rural Entrepreneurship: Anudip has conducted focus groups and field trials for a program to develop rural entrepreneurs in remote population centers, who provide low-cost production services for small businesses offering them hard-to-obtain spare parts and customized customer gifts. In the operational model, a centralized design group will support 3D Printing centers run by rural entrepreneurs who interface with customers.