Arav Bhargava
The Potomac School
McLean, VA
Low-Cost, 3D-Printed, Universal-Fit, Transradial Socket for Amputees in Developing Countries
Arav Yash Bhargava developed a size-adjustable, 3D-printed prosthetic socket for individuals who have undergone an arm amputation. His prototype costs less than $40 to produce, is nearly as strong as existing systems, and he believes it to be more comfortable than current devices. He hopes his work will improve access to prosthetic limbs, especially for people living in low-income nations.
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Arav Bhargava, 18, of McLean, created a low-cost universal socket, a segment of a prosthetic arm, for his Regeneron Science Talent Search engineering project. Although it’s only a prototype, Arav’s socket approaches standard weight-bearing requirements and can be made for less than $40. Nearly 40 million people in developing nations need prosthetics, which currently require custom fittings and can cost thousands of dollars, making them inaccessible to most people.
Arav developed his 3D-printed socket with circumference and length-expansion mechanisms that can easily be adjusted to fit a wide range of residual limbs for individuals who have undergone an arm amputation. Equally important, two volunteers tested the prototype device and they both said it was more comfortable than their current prosthetic sockets.
Arav, the son of Sameer and Nimisha Bhargava, is the team captain of the robotics club at The Potomac School. Arav is also a varsity swimmer and captain of his swim team, and volunteers with Arlington County Adaptive Aquatics, teaching children with disabilities to swim, which is how he was inspired to conduct this research. Arav also developed a seven-episode podcast called “The Prosthetic Experience.”
Beyond the Project
For his original podcast, Arav interviewed a surgeon who created a novel amputation method to connect muscles and nerves within the limb that allows high-tech bionics to be used.
FUN FACTS: Arav enjoys making his own music. He spotlighted his appreciation for Chinese culture by combining samples of traditional Chinese instruments with a hip-hop beat for his podcast’s outro music.
