to your skin, bandages can be wrapped in many
different configurations, and hard casts keep the
patient’s bone in place to promote healing). After,
show them the bioimplantable device by Ellis
Developments, Ltd., and explain how it is used and
how it addresses a specific problem like the other
devices with which they might be more familiar.
Show several types of supplies that would be found
in a doctor’s office such as adhesive bandages,
bandages that would be wrapped around different
body parts, and hard casts. Lead a discussion with
students about how each product is designed to
help patients heal. Ask students to share why they
think each product is successful (Band-Aids stick
®
Elementary School:
Classroom Activities
Supply students with several different types of
textiles that are normally found around the home
(old cotton sheets, lace curtains, towels, etc.). Lead
a discussion on why each textile has the qualities
that it does (towels are absorbent, curtains let light
through while providing privacy, etc.). Ask your
students to choose a material and redesign it for a
completely different use, like Ellis Developments,
Ltd. used embroidery traditionally used for decoration to mimic ligaments in implant surgery.
Middle School:
This device revolutionized the way this surgery was performed by
eliminating any points of weakness that would
traditionally need to be reinforced with complicated stitching or staples. The device is prepared
on a machine much like the computers used in
the garment industry for embroidery. It is initially
embroidered onto a piece of acetate to create the
structure. After it is finished, the acetate is dis-
They created a small
embroidered implant
that could be cut to fit
any situation a surgeon
encountered while in
surgery.
This device revolutionized the way this
surgery was performed by eliminating
any points of weakness that would
traditionally need to be reinforced with
complicated stitching or staples.
The end result of this collaboration was a
simple textile structure that could replace the
cumbersome traditional woven implants that were
used in reconstructive surgery. Ellis worked with
several designers and medical experts to apply the
same breakthrough technology he used in reinforcing carbon fiber fabrics.
This specific example was designed for a patient
who recently had a tumor removed from his shoulder and needed reconstructive surgery to create a
point to attach a prosthetic arm to. The surgeon
This allows the surgeon to address the patient’s
surgery as efficiently as possible, and is extremely
popular for unusual medical conditions or situations where an exact fit is needed.
solved in acetone to reveal one independent textile
piece. The device is created with suture thread—a
material surgeons were already accustomed to
using—to create scaffolding for new skin and liga-
ments to grow on. This familiar material made
selling the device easier than introducing a com-
pletely new technology.
Since the cost of the
material is inexpensive
and the manufactur-
ing is fairly simple,
these devices can be
custom designed for the
patient’s specific needs.
SchoolArts May/June 2009
How can materials be configured to create stability in structures? Ellis Developments, Ltd. found
that embroidery was the most efficient way to reinforce holes used for attachment. Experiment with
several different materials found in your classroom
to build a structure that is at least 24" ( 60 cm) tall
and no more than 12" ( 30 cm) wide. Tell students
that they may use only one material to create this
structure (for example, plastic bottles, craft sticks,
cardboard, etc.). Challenge them to experiment
with folding, notching, cutting, and reconfiguring to find the most efficient way to create a stable
structure.
High School:
Kim Robledo-Diga is professional development manager
at the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum.
Allison Valchuis is education programs assistant at the
Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum.
This technology has led to several other developments. Most recently, similar devices have been
created for spinal surgery. The same technology of
using embroidery in medical applications has been
used to create artificial vein-like structures for
patients with heart conditions.
requested a device that could be attached in several different configurations and could be attached
with either staples or stitches, since he was unsure
of what he would encounter during the surgery.
The snowflake-like structure was composed of one
central hole that the ball joint of a prosthetic could
be attached to, and several spokes with many other
holes for attachment to the existing muscle. Due to
the nature of this embroidery process, the spokes
could be cut without fraying to fit exactly any
remaining muscle.
