TISD students making prosthetic limbs, learning engineering and empathy

TEXARKANA, Texas (KTAL/KMSS) – 3D printers in a Texarkana elementary school are being used to help people in need in Uganda.

“Many of them are victims of violence and, it’s just a great opportunity to use 3D printing technology to help meet a need on the other side of the world.” says Nicole Ayers, technology teacher at Morriss Elementary.

Students there are taking part in a project where the are tasked with making prosthetic limbs.

“Basically we get measurements for each of the patients and then we run those numbers through, modeling software. And then we send those jobs to the printer, so each print is custom fit for a particular patient.” says Ayers.

It’s an interactive way for the students to learn how to use the technology and how it can be applied.

“We have videos that we watch before we do it and we have the arm we have to make and we have to connect the thumb to the arm so it can, well you can grab stuff.” says 3rd grader Alaina Oliver.

“And just putting the thumb together, you have to make sure you do the steps right because if you don’t do the steps correctly, then the thumb won’t turn out right.” adds classmate Makenzie Boyce.

Problem solving, often through trial and error, is all part of the process, especially when working to make something that needs to fit exactly right to work.

“Just making sure the 3D printer prints it correctly, because if it doesn’t, if it isn’t the right size for the person, then we’ll have to make that part again and we’ll have to check the file to make sure it’s the right size.” says Makenzie.

The students are also provided with case files of each person they are helping.

“They have, Their age, their occupation, where they live in Uganda. So they’re doing some research as a group to learn more about that person.” says Ayers, “We have a picture of each person, so they’ve got a name and a face for each arm that they’re putting together.”

Which helps to show the students that what they are doing goes beyond learning how to be future engineers, but also teaches them how we can make a difference.

“It makes me feel like I’m actually changing the world and helping people with their everyday life.” says Makenzie.

“Yeah, because if they don’t have arms they could not have their like arm they used to use for everything and everyday stuff.” Alaina agrees.

The project is in partnership with the Enable Uganda Organization and Enabling the Future. They are part of a larger effort to provide 800 prosthetics. In total the groups of students taking part in this will complete 16 limbs.

“I mean, it’s neat to print name tags and stencils and fidget spinners and things like that, you know, kids get excited about that, but, to be able to have a meaning and a purpose behind it just. It’s almost an understatement to say brings it to the next level. It just elevates it so much more.” says Ayers.