A shiny prosthetic shell gives ailing tortoise a new lease on life
Digital Reporter
Sunday, March 29, 2015, 5:38 PM - A weary leopard tortoise has been given a new lease on life thanks to advances in 3D printing.
After being taken in by an animal rescue group, the turtle known as Cleopatra was outfitted with a brand new prosthetic shell.
The red, plastic shield was created by Roger Henry, a design student at Colorado Technical University in cooperation with a 3D printing store in Denver.
Henry spent about 600 hours creating the custom shell for Cleopatra, made from bio-degradable plastic resin.
Cleopatra's original shell was scanned into the printer, but multiple prototypes and software changes were needed to achieve just the right shape of cape to fit on Cleo's back.
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The tortoise suffers from a condition known as 'pyramiding' or 'peaking," which causes her shell to develop ridges as it grows. Her rescuers also found her to be malnourished due to a poor diet.
A bumpy backside makes it quite difficult her to right herself if she ends up on her back, a serious issue when it came to interacting with fellow tortoises.
The land-dwelling turtles tend to climb over and on top of one another when they socialize.
It's all in good fun, but periods of play have left Cleo's deformed shell worn in places, exposing her to greater threat of infection and sickness.
Decked out in her new, smooth shell will protect the teenage tortoise and allow her to live out a safe and happy life for many years to come.
A new shell will be printed eventually as Cleopatra continues to grow.
Developments in 3D printing technology have come to the rescue of other animals, in the form of prosthetic limbs and other replacement body parts.
Source: The Denver Post
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