Magdalena Zaraś took part in the Maker Woman project at the powered by Orange FabLab.
Throughout this project, she worked on a prototype for a mechanical hand prosthesis. Hand prostheses are expensive. This represents a challenge, in particular for parents of children, who have to replace prostheses as the child grows.
She tells us her story.
First, there was the Maker Woman project - over three months of very intense work. You were working on open-source software to create prototypes professionally. 3D technology is very useful here. It increases the availability of prostheses by reducing their production costs. You learn how to operate machines to create a prototype of your own, an original product, under the guidance of experienced teachers. Just after this project, I received the “Amazing Woman” award and funding to continue my development.
What impact did this project have on your life?
Thanks to this project, I converted to being a CAD technician and 3D printer operator. I take part in projects that support patients in their everyday lives.
Is your current job connected in any way to the skills you learned during the Maker Woman project and then your work within the framework of the Amazing Woman bursary?
Yes. I work for an orthesis and prosthesis company that recently joined the Ottobock group, the largest prosthesis company in the world. I take 3D scans of patients’ lower limbs, and I modify these 3D scans based on the recommendations of orthopedic specialists. These scans are then sculpted in MDF, and the layers of the orthesis are thermoformed on these wooden models. I also model pieces for the production of prosthetic legs and 3D print them.
Thanks to Amazing Woman, I was able to set off on a fascinating adventure, and I am grateful to the Orange Foundation for this unique opportunity. It made it possible for me to do some astonishing things, and I’m still developing.