Update February 9, 2023 (updates from Eric): 

So it might seem we are not delivering as many prosthetics as we were. It has been slow around the end of the year, but much is going on behind the scenes as we are expanding our abilities to help people. We now have a 3D scanner, and a laptop with enough video processing power to use it. We have had a struggle making hands for some of the unusual presentations here. The stock models just don't quite work. So we will now be able to make plaster casts, digitally scan them, and then send the scans to a 3D designer in Europe who will then modify our Team Unlimbited design to fit them. 

 

We are also helping a young girl, who has a forearm so short, that our Team Unlimbited design doesn't quite work. But we have met a prosthetecist in England who is helping us with a new, human powered design for just such an instance. Her arm was just cast in Mexico, and it will be sent to us here to be scanned. That will be sent on to him in England, where the parts we can't make here will be made, and the designs for what we can make, sent here! A truly international effort. This will be repeated every 2 years until she stops growing!

 

This design just might help us with some other special cases here as well.

 

We are still pursuing a good above elbow loss arm design. We will see what the next six months brings. We have many, many waiting for this and it's something we are seeking diligently.  Please keep us in your prayers! If you are interested in supporting what we do,  please contact us!

 

 

February 8, 2023: Abelardo's new hand! So glad we could help him. A great morning of working through three languages,  but we do have the people for it. This will mean a lot for his ability to support his family. He said a very nice prayer for all of us before leaving.

 

 

 Update February 1, 2023 (updates from Eric): 

January 24, 2023: Mónica García just finished another one! Ready to deliver now. One more printed and will be built next.

 

January 25, 2023: Another arm done by Mónica García! This one is special. Our recipient has literally been wearing away the palm and fingers! This is the person doing concrete work with it. So the forearm and cuff are carbon fiber PETG and the hand and fingers are carbon fiber polycarbonate. About as wear resistant as we can get!

 

 

January 26, 2023:  First test hand cast a success! This will help immensely with the hands we are having so much trouble fitting.

 

January 28, 2023:

One day shipping and a happy recipient of the new tougher arm. We love our work! Hope it serves him well. 

 

 

 Update January 20, 2023 (update from Eric):

A big day today. One of the people who was a double amputee lost both of his prosthetic arms in an emergency. So we were able to see him equipped once more!

 

 

 

Also had our first visit with a couple. He lost a hand in a robbery to a machete. He has had trouble getting jobs since and has five kids. Hoping a new prosthetic will change that for him. We should have one for him in about a week!      I am always amazed at the difference these can make in a life. Very humbling that we can be used for such a job as this.

 

 

 

 Update January 17, 2023 (update from Eric):  

Learning new skills! Learning to make plaster models for 3D scanning:

 

 

 January 12, 2023 (update from Eric): 

Two carbon microfiber filled PETG arms ready to deliver!...

 

 

 Update January 5, 2023:

Note from the home office:  Eric now has the laptop he needs to work with the new Desktop 3D Scanner, thanks to friends bringing it with them.  It arrived in great condition, thanks to being hand carried!

 

Updates from Eric:

January 5: Progress on arm #1

 

 

 

January 4: One ready to thermoform and build, and the next arm started! Hoping our box shows up from the USA, I need more of this particular filament.

 

 

January 3:  More parts!

 

 

January 2, 2023:   New Year, new arms started!

 

 December 31, 2022:

New years eve project. Need a flexible mixing bowl for the plaster of paris that will hopefully find us next week. So, it's order one in, or print one with flexible TPU filament, which I just so happen to have on hand. Just getting it started.

 

 

 Update December 18, 2022: (updates from Eric):

December 17:  Our ability to help is growing! Waiting for the computer for it to arrive now.   This will make some harder cases easier and allow us to do some we haven't been able to take on with the help of some great people.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 December 12:  Just finished this new hand for a person who was difficult to fit with our standard 3D model. Let's pray this works for him! We are working on a possible better solution next year.