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By Layan Damanhouri
Who knew 3-D printing could go as far as to help patients live better?
Pakistani entrepreneurs Anas Niaz and Ovais Qureshi cofounded Bioniks, a biomedical 3-D printing company to create artificial limbs by customizing orders based on patients’ requests.
The startup’s first product, a prosthetic arm made a 5-year-old boy overwhelmed with joy and excitement when using his arm for the first time.
“Our vision is to help people whose hands are missing and who feel they can’t do things like normal persons,” says Niaz.
The boy’s red and white plastic arm seems like an Iron Man toy at first glance. Comic book heroes motivate kids, according to the Bioniks team, who use their creativity to customize the prosthetic limbs.
“The people whose hands are missing, such as cancer patients who lose their bone structures, can hope for a new life,” says Qureshi.
“Offering Muslims to use their right hands for eating and drinking is also an added advantage,” he says. “It’s very satisfying to see we’re able to do that.”
With practice, individuals can learn to grab items, eat and write.
The startup has received requests from patients from various countries.
Such a product doesn’t require to be invented by a doctor, explains Niaz who describes it as an engineering design.
Photo captions: An artificial arm designed as "Iron Man" action hero's arm to motivate child patient to use new hand
3rd photo DSC00269 by Layan Damanhouri: Pakistani entrepreneurs Anas Niaz and Ovais Qureshi cofounded Bioniks, a biomedical 3-D printing company to create artificial limbs by customizing orders based on patients’ requests.
