New material system resetting the standard in orthopaedics

Doctors use a plaster or fiberglass cast to treat patients breaking bones. After six long weeks of keeping the cast dry and resisting the urge to scratch the skin underneath, the patients return to their doctor to have the cast removed and tossed into the trash, unable to be used again.

New material, Exoform, is a compact, customizable and semi-rigid wearable material with self-fusing edges for immediate, adjustable and repeatable use. It offers the unique ability to specifically conform to individual bodies without dependence on medical professionals.

The Exoform cast distinguishes itself from the orthopaedic materials currently available at local pharmacies i.e., finger splints and wristbands, in that it can successfully support a variety of complex body parts and adjust its stiffness throughout the healing process. It is also breathable and can be submerged in water, allowing for a more comfortable wearing experience.

Exoform begins as a flat structure and requires heat—between 70-80 degrees Celsius- to mould. To protect the wearer from burns, users must initially wrap 3 layers of gauze around their skin where they intend to wear the cast.

The cast features a sensing and control system that can trigger a white LED light to indicate when the material is at a safe handling temperature. Once heated, the material takes a standardized shape around the body to initialize the rough fit. Users can then manually sculpt the material into their own perfect fit. The white LED light glows brightly and dims as the wearable is tightened.

As the body begins to heal, the wearer can remove parts of the cast to loosens the material, allowing for increased mobility and ultimately a faster healing time. Once fully healed, the user can remove the cast on their own.

With self-fusing edges, any pieces of the material removed during the moulding and healing process can be added back on by pressing the edges together. This enables repeat usage. Within hours of the edges coming into contact, Exoform pieces self-fuse to the original flat form.