# Affordable 3D-Printed Prosthetic Lorenzo Spreafico's Final Project Provides Tactile Feedback By Kalin Ned | Published 2020-02-03 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/3dprinted-prosthetic1 References: [dezeen](https://www.dezeen.com/2020/01/03/lorenzo-spreafico-t1-prosthetic/) & [behance.net](https://www.behance.net/lorenzospreafico) Lorenzo Spreafico — a design student at the [University of Leeds](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/third-thumb) in the United Kingdom — has embarked on his final project that entails a 3D-printed prosthetic that is capable of providing "tactile feedback for a low cost." The '[T1](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ensa-t1)' boasts a plastic arm silhouette with "vibrotactile feedback" that has the ability to "relay information about how firmly a person is gripping or touching an object via vibrations to their skin." This is a highly innovative and desirable approach to [3D-printed prosthetics](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-nimble). For one, it gives users a sense of touch. Secondly, it is a quality that has not been widely adopted either — Lorenzo Spreafico referenced his research that revealed that touch-base technologies were " either nonviable for commercial use or were destined to be prohibitively expensive." Image Credit: Dezeen ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 6.1/10 - Popularity: 91% | Activity: 84% | Freshness: 9% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/design) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Tactile Feedback Prosthetics:** The development of 3D-printed prosthetics with tactile feedback feature presents a disruptive innovation opportunity in the prosthetics industry. - **Low-cost Prosthetics:** The advancement of 3D-printing technology for prosthetics offers a new avenue to increase access to low-cost prosthetics, thereby disrupting the healthcare industry. - **Customized Prosthetics:** The use of 3D-printing technology allows for the creation of custom-made prosthetics, which presents a significant disruptive innovation opportunity in the prosthetics industry. ### Who This Affects Most - **Healthcare:** The use of 3D-printing technology for the production of prosthetics presents a disruptive innovation opportunity in the healthcare industry. - **3D Printing:** The advancement of 3D-printing technology for the production of prosthetics presents a disruptive innovation opportunity in the manufacturing industry. - **Education:** The development of innovative 3D-printed prosthetics by students presents a disruptive innovation opportunity in the education industry. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [AI-Powered Prosthetic Arms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/smart-prosthetic-arm.md) - [App-Customized Arm Braces](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/appcustomized-arm-braces-the-brace-elbow-brace-by-nils-sorger-is-3d-printed.md) - [Modular Slip-Proof Prosthetic Legs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lytra-prosthetic-leg.md) - [Enhanced Thumb Prosthetics](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/third-thumb.md) - [Modular Haptic Feedback Controllers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/happily-haptic-lab.md) - [Bionic Knee Prostheses](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/httpswwwmediamitedu.md) - [Smart Bionic Hands](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/smart-bionic-hand.md) - [Portable STEM Education Kits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/augmented-haptics-grasp-it.md) - [Innovative Aerohaptic System](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/aerohaptic.md)