Flagler Students Creating Prosthetic For Dog Using 3-D Printing

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Sandoval_Zolondek_Champ Flagler Palm Coast, FL - Flagler Palm Coast High School Students have been designing and creating prosthetic limbs using 3D printers to help a 3-year-old German Shepherd that lost a leg in a car accident. Members of Courtney VandeBunte's Anatomy and Drawing class have spent the past year designing prosthetic legs for Champ, a 3-year-old German Shepherd who lost a leg in a car accident. Champ was adopted by Yashoda Sandoval and David Zolondek of Jacksonville shortly after that accident. According to Jason Wheeler, Community Information Specialist for Flagler Schools, thanks to a $5,000 grant from Motorola and the Flagler County Education Foundation, the students have spent "the last couple of months designing and making these various prosthetic legs for the dog using a number of 3D printers." The 3D printers have been working around the clock and Monday morning Champ was outfitted with several of the designs. VandeBunte says the next step is to fine tune a final leg and harness design. The class hopes to have one ready by the summer. Zolondek says Champ is very mobile considering he only has 3 legs, but the dog's muscles and bones will suffer for overcompensating for the missing limb. Video of the fitting can be seen here. Champ Sandoval_Zolondek_Champ(1) Shifflet_Arizaga

(Photos and video courtesy Flagler Schools)

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