When inventor Mike North, one of the engineers/cast members from the Science Channel's Outrageous Acts of Science, broke his leg earlier this year, he was frustrated with his options toward recovery.
North could either wear a walking cast with a "no travel" caveat, or he could wear a stationary cast and hobble around on crutches. Satisfied by neither, the engineer decided to create a cast of his own.
Enter BoomCast, a 3D-printed cast that doubles as a Bluetooth speaker. Designed with the help of Fathom Studio, a firm that specializes in additive manufacturing and 3D-printing, the philosophy behind the creation of the cast, as per North, was "how can we take breaking a leg and turn it into a positive experience for a person?"
To come up with the blueprints for the cast, Fathom scanned North's fractured limb with the help of a FaroArm — a portable coordinate measuring machine — and came up with 3D model for North's leg to use for a digital fitting.
In addition to ratchet straps to adjust to exterior pressure, the BoomCast is also fitted with an Intel Edison, which equips the cast with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities, complete with the requisite antennae and a Lithium-ion battery to power the operation.
The BoomCast also comes installed with a top-notch sound system — hence the moniker.
"It feels good on your leg, and it also just brings up your spirit and your mood," says North.
See how the BoomCast was created in the video below.
