Why you should give your grandparents a 3D printer for Christmas

Making adaptive aids using a 3D printer is particularly useful because of how easy it is to customise printed items.

Senior citizens might really like – and use – a 3D printer. That’s the surprising, and money-saving, conclusion of a new study I co-authored: 3D printers can save arthritis patients money by more cheaply manufacturing plastic gadgets that help them do routine tasks like open jars and put on socks.

By 2040, about one-quarter of the US population is expected to have arthritis – a physical ailment making joint movements difficult and painful. In addition to their health care expenses, arthritis patients often have additional needs that do not show up on medical bills and are not covered by insurance.