Fused Filament Fabrication of Customized Continuous Fiber Physical Activity Enabling Prostheses for Children with Lower Extremity Amputation

NSF Award Search · 01002526DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT · $502,222 · view on nsf.gov ↗

Abstract

Prosthetic limbs designed for physical activity, such as running blades, allow children to participate in sports and stay active. However, these specialized prostheses often are expensive and not always covered by insurance, making them difficult for many families to afford. Emerging technologies, such as 3D printing and cloud-based design tools, offer the potential to lower costs and to customize prostheses as children grow. Nevertheless, these innovations remain underused. This project will ascertain what children need from their prostheses by examining how their motivation to be active, body size, and movement type influence prosthetic performance. It will compare how advanced 3D-printed prostheses perform relative to traditional models under real-world conditions. Ultimately, this research will make high-performance prosthetic limbs more affordable, accessible, and tailored to the needs of active children. In addition, the project will create research and educational opportunities for students, introducing them to advanced manufacturing techniques, biomechanics, and patient-centered design, which will foster interest in STEM fields and help inspire future biomedical engineers. Recent advances in composite additive manufacturing and cloud computing have created new opportunities for the rapid, cost-effective production of complex, high-performance components. These technologies are well-suited to improve the design and fabrication of physical activity enabling prosthes

Key facts

NSF award ID
2508783
Awardee
George Mason University (VA)
SAM.gov UEI
EADLFP7Z72E5
PI
Quentin A Sanders
Primary program
01002526DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
All programs
RESEARCH TO AID THE DISABLED
Estimated total
$502,222
Funds obligated
$502,222
Transaction type
Standard Grant
Period
09/01/2025 → 08/31/2028