Therapy device blossoms with 3D printing and NMIS

Ely, winner of Innovate UK's 2023 Young Innovators award, designed Blossom after two close family members suffered strokes and whose rehabilitation process required a tool to improve and practice their fine motor skills. To date, the device has been tested in clinical consultation and by users from dementia groups.

He is now developing a 3D-printed prototype of the nature-inspired product in collaboration with NMIS, which is operated by the University of Strathclyde and is part of the High Value Manufacturing (HVM) Catapult. The project was also supported with £15,000 of funding from Innovate UK.

Blossom is a hand-held therapy device featuring three buildable flowers designed to challenge fine motor skills and enhance cognitive function.

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Users can practice arranging the petals and stamen, with each flower increasing in difficulty. Its design, incorporating various petal layouts, encourages users to engage hands and utilise 16 different pinch and grasp exercises.

The NMIS design engineering and additive manufacturing teams provided comprehensive support to Ely, taking an idea into a viable product through detailed 3D modelling to optimise the design. This included evaluating and selecting appropriate materials and manufacturing processes to achieve the desired appearance and functional requirements.

Various manufacturing techniques were evaluated, including injection moulding and additive manufacturing processes such as Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) and Material Extrusion (MEX). PBF proved most suitable because of its ability to produce strong, durable, and complex parts with a textured finish, which is crucial for the tool's usability.  

Additionally, the team introduced design enhancements like a dimple fastening method to further elevate the sensory experience. The 3D printed prototypes of the developed design have allowed Orlando to engage in further user testing and gain feedback on the changes and selection of manufacturing method.

"With assistance from NMIS to evaluate different manufacturing methods, I'm now well positioned to approach a partner that can manufacture the product at scale. Based on user feedback, my next phase will focus on refining the design, enhancing aesthetic appearance, and expanding the range of therapeutic applications,” Ely said in a statement.