Case Study: University of Texas at Dallas achieves rapid, low-cost development of concussion-detection neural triage goggles with Stratasys 3D printing

UT Dallas Uses 3D Printing to Help Detect Sports Concussions

The University of Texas at Dallas set out to reduce concussions in high school athletes by developing a neural triage system—head/neck sensors and binocular goggles that detect brain injury—but faced a difficult prototyping challenge: the goggles had to fit varied head sizes, work in different lighting, and precisely capture eye movement. To speed development and lower costs, the university partnered with Stratasys and used its 3D printing technologies (FDM® and PolyJet™).

Using Stratasys FDM and PolyJet printers, the team completed six rapid design iterations, printing mechanically strong larger parts with FDM and fine-feature components with PolyJet. The Stratasys-enabled approach cut prototype cost from $120,000 to $30,000 (a $90,000, 75% savings) and reduced development time from 24 months to 11 months (13 months, 54% faster); 35 3D-printed test units were produced and distributed for field studies as the research continues.

University of Texas at Dallas

Robert Rennaker

Director of the Biomedical Device Center