Our students recently enjoyed a trip to visit the team over at the Manchester Metropolitan University Institute of Sport to see how they could use acquired data from equipment that is maybe non-routine on a course such as this. 3D printing has touched each and every commercial sector and sport is no different.
There is great scope to make better products and tailor them specifically for each user but what can be overlooked is the data that is captured from these pieces of equipment that can be used to produce 3D prints to assist in the analysis of performance and technique.
The session was delivered by Daniel Evans who is the Technical Officer in Physiology at MMU after spells with Hibernian Football Club and the GB Judo Team. Daniel is in charge of the physiology lab, biomechanics lab, muscle function lab and the MRI, DEXA and pQCT scanners
He began with a morning presentation before running an afternoon practical session where our students undertook 3D gait analysis, ultrasound scanning and jump tests. The 3D gait analysis produces a chart that shows pressure over the entire foot. We can use this to 3D print using the ‘lithopane’ feature within Cura, the slicing software for Ultimaker 3D printers.
3D models from medical scan data can be easily manipulated and segmented using applications such as ‘Slicer‘, an open source editor. An article from 2016 showed how one company allows blind mothers to receive a 3D printed model of their baby taken from ultrasound scans.
