3DRap took third place in the Start-up category at Automation & Testing’s 2019 Innovation 4.0 Award in Turin, a trade fair dedicated to robotics and the innovative technologies of Industry 4.0. On Friday, February 15, the 3DRap team traveled to the Piedmontese capital to present its hand controller project for disabled sim drivers, the manual device that enabled the 3D printing company to take the third step on the podium.
Hand Controller Recognition and Development
The hand controller was selected from the many projects submitted to the jury of A&T’s Great Events for its applicability, usefulness and the benefits it has brought to the world of sim racing, particularly for sim drivers who are unable to use their lower limbs and for whom the simulated driving sector had previously offered no solutions.
The project is already at an advanced stage of development and has been tested by disabled drivers registered with ASD Experience, a nonprofit sports association created by and for people with disabilities to give them the opportunity to take part in motorsports, particularly karting. In the future, the device will undergo a further ergonomic study with the support of a physician and surgeon who founded a research group in the field of trauma medicine. Efforts will also be made to make it wireless, allowing greater freedom of movement.
“We are truly proud to have once again succeeded in bringing our ideas to the forefront of Italy’s innovation landscape,” said Domenico Orsi, Additive Manufacturing Director at 3DRap. “These awards are always an excellent opportunity to exchange ideas and foster cross-pollination with all the leading players in the national business economy. A&T amazed us with its ability to bring together institutions, companies, start-ups and schools from across the country. We hope to return next year and once again amaze the many visitors attending the three-day event at Oval Lingotto Fiere in Turin.”
An Original Prize for 3DRap
It was certainly an important achievement, but also one of the most original prizes received by the 3DRap team to date: a magnetically levitating LED lamp that uses the principle of induction to light up. A few days ago, it found a home in the prototyping laboratory, where work continues on numerous innovative projects.
