Safeguarding the performance of a unique champion!

I was in awe when I meet Peter Rosenmeier, who is Paralympic, European and World Champion in table tennis at the same time. Despite physical disabilities, this guy was playing table-tennis at a mindblowing level, with an impressive speed, agility and precision. And he is doing this with one prosthesis for his leg and one for attaching the bat to his hand.

All of his skills and techniques are based on the adaptation to the same custom shaped hand prosthesis. To this particular shape, defined by a set of tactile, shape, weight-distribution and strength parameters, he has adapted and perfected his performance. Changing it, even when trying to copy the shape, will require an immense amount of training and a dramatic drop in performance. For this reason, it is really privilege for me to participate in the work of safeguarding this unique piece of equipment, in case it should get damaged or lost.

Our first step was to perform CT X-ray imaging on the prosthesis, in order to make a digital copy that is the overall insurance in case the physical version is lost. We did this with the world class competences and facilities at the DTU imaging center. The data generated holds information of the shape and distribution of material and fiber-orientation. Basically, it is a digital copy of the unique part that is safeguarded as a digital insurance. But data is also a point cloud of information, that can be exported to a 3D volume, which can then be used for fabricating a new physical copy of the prosthesis.

So next steps are to 3D print the volume together with our partners at Addifab, who are also constantly looking to push the boundaries of technology. We imagine that it will be some iterations of prototyping, numerical simulations of strength and weight distribution, together with optimization of print and material parameters.

But we look forwards to the further journey, especially since it is highly relevant for both industrial applications, as well as ensuring that Peter's steady import of gold to Denmark continues! Follow more about this on our blog: