St. Louis Students 3D Print Assistive Devices for Community

Last spring, a group of 16-year-old students at Principia School in St. Louis spent their interdisciplinary CoLab period not studying from textbooks, but building real devices for real people. Their project was part of the PrintLab and Autodesk Make Challenge, an international competition that pairs students with local community members who have disabilities.

Seventeen student projects came out of Principia this year. Two teams made it to the finals among 1,200 participants from 16 countries.

Team Air Benders, made up of Alik Mboya and Mario Almeida, designed a portable mount for Izzy, a young girl with Batten disease. Izzy needs a suction machine to help prevent choking, and the mount lets her attach it to her stroller. The final design took six iterations. Izzy's mother said the mount could be life-changing.

Team Easy Bite, Paige Icy, Marley Dorsey, and Loganne Love, worked with Aimee Wehemier, who has spinal muscular atrophy. Wehemier has trouble picking up snacks like chips on her own. The students designed a set of finger chopsticks that she could grip without crushing the food. It took 11 versions to get right. Wehemier had never been able to eat a crunchy snack independently before. She told the team they should market it.

Both teams advanced in distinct categories: Air Benders in Best Use of 3D Printing, Easy Bite in Best Showcase of Iterative Design. For most students, the project was their first experience with 3D printing and engineering.

Melaine Shedd, a chemistry teacher who helped oversee the work, said the real lesson was not just technical skill. It was empathy. Watching students test prototypes with the actual users and revise based on feedback taught them more than a standard lab exercise ever could.