Why are designers looking at X-rays?

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Jake Evill, a media design graduate working in New Zealand, worked with the orthopaedic department at his university to create a prototype for a new-age cast, which can replace one made using plaster of paris or fibreglass.

This new cast, called the Cortex, is a lightweight, ventilated and washable replacement that can be fitted under a sleeve, according to the Daily Mail. The concept uses X-Ray and 3-D scans to create an exoskeleton for broken bones. This next-generation method of creating a unique design for specific injuries is made using a technology called ‘highly technical and trauma-zoned localised support system’. Using a 3-D printer, the cast is ready to fit the injured with a one side open design and durable fasteners that snap on. The creator said, with changing technology the printing time for this cast can reduce by several hours. He told Dezeen, “At the moment, 3D printing of the cast takes around three hours whereas a plaster cast takes three to nine minutes, but requires 24-72 hours to be fully set. With the improvement of 3D printing, we could see a big reduction in the time it takes to print in the future.”