TG1 (April 29, 2020)
| 3DLab is within the DIGEP (Politecnico di Torino) and focuses on human-machine interaction, 3D data acquisition, management, and visualization. Expertise is applied not only to 3D modelling, but also in innovative methodology development for product design, diagnostic and surgical systems, emotional design a face analysis through machine learning techniques. |
Research activity in surgical fields lies within a framework convention between the DIGEP Department and the Surgical Sciences Department of the Università di Torino. On DIGEP Department side the following people are involved: prof. Vezzetti and prof. Tornincasa are the framework convention advocates, while prof. Moos coordinates the research activities and carries on different projects regarding methodology and tool development for surgery support. On Surgical Sciences Department side, prof. Ramieri and prof. Gerbino are the counterparts from the Divisione Universitaria di Chirurgia Maxillofacciale, located in Molinette hospital, in Turin. The collaboration has been further strengthened thanks to the interuniversity PhD course “Bioengineering and medical-surgical sciences” and a PhD scholarship assignation to eng. Novaresio, who is developing his PhD career on 3D technologies for surgery support. His scientific supervisors are prof. Moos and prof. Ramieri.
During this inauspicious health emergency, the need for personal protective equipment for hospital staff arose. The resulting idea to face this situation was simple and quick to implement.
Within the context of the collaboration, Eng. Novaresio elaborated data provided by CT, obtaining a 3D model comprehensive of soft-tissues, and used it to build the anatomical profile of an arch. The arch was subsequently printed with a FDM (Fused Deposition Modelling) 3D printer.
At the back there are two slots for the insertion of a Velcro strip that will lock the headband onto the doctor’s skull. At the front the transparent plastic cover is stuck on with double-sided adhesive tape.
The combined printing capacity of the prototyping machines located at the Molinette and the 3DLab is around thirty arches per day and has made it possible to provide this protection in a reasonably short time.
We would like to thank the Director of the Department, Prof. Maurizio Galetto, and the Rector, Prof. Guido Saracco, for authorising what was necessary to enable this collaboration.