Plastic Splint Treats Broken Bones Instantly

A versatile portable plastic splint can provide instant first-aid medical treatment for broken limbs that occur in remote locations.

The first aid splint is designed to protect and aid the recovery of damaged bones when the patient is in isolated conditions and cannot be reached quickly by medical teams. The innovative splint could provide aid to the 45,000 victims of snow sport injuries that occur every year. The splint applies rigidness and heat quickly to the limb via a special gel created by a chemically reactive metal strip and saturated sodium acetate solution.

The innovative splint was conceived as part of the biannual design and innovation in plasturgy (DIPA) competition held during February 2007 in Alencon (France). The first-aid splint received the jury's grand prize, beating over forty other submissions. The splint was devised as part of an international collaboration between Sheffield Hallam University (SHU; United Kingdom) and the Institut Superieur de Plasturgie d'Alencon (ISPA; France), to explore the lightweight, pliable properties of plastic.

"Plastic has surprising uses that are not currently being explored, and this competition is a great way to start exploring those possibilities,” said Paul Chamberlain, a professor of design at SHU. "It's a great honor that the innovation and quality of design from our students has allowed them to walk away with half of the available prizes in an international competition. This acclaim is great news for their future careers and employability.”

Industrial design students Ching Sui Kao and Geremi Durand, from SHU, and engineering student Maxime Ducloux from the ISPA plastic centre of excellence shared the award.


Related Links:
Sheffield Hallam University
Institut Superieur de Plasturgie d'Alencon