Exact Metrology scans aid child in need

Exact Metrology, a division of In-Place Machining Company, is a metrology services provider, offering customers 3D and CT scanning. A recent scan was able to aid a 9-year-old child, Tieshawn, who was born with spina bifida, a defect caused when the spinal cord does not develop correctly in the womb.

The child's family and physical therapist had tried traditional kneepads, but they weren’t designed for Tieshawn’s needs and slipped off quickly.

In their search for a better solution, the family and therapist were connected with May We Help, an organisation of skilled volunteers that betters the lives of people with special needs. May We Help partnered with Bastech, a rapid-prototyping company, that believed they could create custom kneepads for Tieshawn. Bastech had created similar kneepads for spelunkers (cave explorers), but first needed an accurate understanding of how Tieshawn’s knees moved and were shaped. An accurate 3D scan would be necessary to ensure that his custom kneepads would fit perfectly.

Using Exact Metrology's Artec 3D Scanner, the company was able to complete all the needed scans of Tieshawn in the comfort of his own bedroom in less than 30 minutes. The Artec scanner is said to capture up to two million points of data a second with 3D point accuracy up to 0.1mm, all in a handheld device.