Christmas came early for Derby the dog.
He was born with deformed front legs:
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But 3D Systems’ director of CJP product management Tara Anderson found him through adoption agency and rescue group Peace and Paws.
"I had to try and help this dog," she said.
Derby had a cart, which wasn’t great:
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“It limits his ability in being able to play with other dogs and it’s not the full motion of running,” Anderson said.
So Anderson and her team hit upon a new design for dog legs:
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The circular loop design was proposed as a way to stop Derby’s new legs digging into the dirt.
They printed it off and presented it to Derby and his adopted family:
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Look how happy he is now:
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Here’s why – Derby now runs with his adopted dad Dom “at least two to three miles” a day:
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And now the basic design is on file, it only requires a quick modification and print to give the same freedom to other dogs with similar disabilities.
“This is what 3D printing is all about,” Anderson says.
“To be able to help anybody – dog, person, whoever – to have a better life is just, there’s no better thing to be involved in.”
Here’s the full video: