Quick Summary
• A retired Air Force veteran and amputee Francine Goode has returned to the bowling lane with the help of a 3D printed tool built specifically for her by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The project began when a recreational therapist at the Perry Point VA Medical Center in Maryland spotted a shortfall in the adaptive…
Additional Context
A retired Air Force veteran and amputee Francine Goode has returned to the bowling lane with the help of a 3D printed tool built specifically for her by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The project began when a recreational therapist at the Perry Point VA Medical Center in Maryland spotted a shortfall in the adaptive bowling equipment available to veterans. Existing options frequently depended on another person’s help, wore out quickly and offered users little autonomy. In response, engineers in VA’s Office of Advanced Manufacturing (OAM) used a 3D printer to design and repeatedly refine a bowling stick shaped around Goode’s individual needs.
Staff in VA’s Office of Advanced Manufacturing worked with a Veteran to create a bowling stick. Photo via VA.
“I’m an amputee who is on a conti