e-NABLE Announces Winners of First CREATE T.I.M.E. 3D Printing Design Challenge

Of all of the stories we follow, some of my favorites to check in on again and again are the e-NABLE Design Challenges. The organization does so much good already, with its ever-growing network of designers and makers collaborating to create and improve 3D printed prosthetic hands and arms for those most in need. Their design challenges, however, spark the kind of creative thinking that lead to some of the best, most innovative devices e-NABLE has seen. In January, the organization announced the launch of the CREATE T.I.M.E. (Think. Imagine. Make. E-NABLE.) series, which would introduce a new challenge each month.

The first challenge in the series was centered around the Python Utility Hand, a simple device that features mounts for a variety of utilitarian attachments: cup holders, utensils, etc. e-NABLE asked challenge participants to design new attachments for the Python, and the winners have now been announced. Over 100 entries were submitted, and the judges – three children who have been recipients of e-NABLE devices in the past – were nearly unanimous in their picks.

The first place winner was a team from New York’s Garden City High School. Students Steve Spirakis, Dan O’Connor and Thom Grlic, under the guidance of teacher Michael Stano, designed a swim paddle to attach to the Python and make swimming easier. Judges Liam Dippenaar – the first child to receive a 3D printed hand from e-NABLE – and Shea Stollenwerk both chose the paddle attachment as their favorite design, while Luke Dennison, the first to ever test the Python design, named it his second choice.

The swim fin will be printed and sent to all three judges, who will test it and offer feedback, as well as creating a video for the e-NABLE website to show it in action. The student designers will also each receive a medal, certificate and a spool of filament from Axislab 3D, the challenge’s co-sponsor.

“My student Max Schwenk was introduced to e-NABLE about a year ago and with the help of his mom and a local parent group (Friends of STEM), they were able to purchase 2 3D printers for our class,” said Stano. “That allowed us to really start working with the e-NABLE Community. Currently we are printing a Cyborg Beast test hand to submit.”

Dippenaar’s second and third choices were, respectively, the Adjustable Grip Assembly from the University of Southern California’s 3D4E chapter and the Tennis Ball Whip Thrower, also from Garden City High School. Stollenwerk’s choices were the General Holding Device from Art Ross and the French Hair Braider from Beth Schlegel. Dennison’s first choice was the Spector Gadget Fishing Pole by Peter Phelps, and his third was a Zipper Attachment also from the 3D4E team.

Then there were the honorable mentions:

• Pencil e-NABLE Attachment from Grant Trautman
• Ping Pong Paddle from Max Schwenk, Johnathan Dorotheos and John O’Hare at Garden City
• Lintner Archery Python Hand Extension from Brynn Lintner
• Mao Pencil Holder by William Mao from Town School 
• Fishing Pole Holder by Nick Yang, also of Town School
• Hook attachment from Joseph Dilemme and Cyrus Lalehzar of Garden City High School

While the challenge was open to all ages, e-NABLE states that they’re pleased with how many submissions came from young students. You can check out all of the submissions here, and stay tuned as the winners from subsequent CREATE T.I.M.E. challenges are announced! Discuss further in the e-NABLE CREATE T.I.M.E. Winners forum over at 3DPB.com.