YEHALABS Awarded 3rd Place in National Biomedical Engineering Design Competition

On April 3, 2024, YEHALABS earned 3rd place in the National Biomedical Engineering Design Competition, hosted by the Center of Biomedical Engineering Design in partnership with the Addis Ababa Institute of Technology (AAiT), NEST360, and the Rice360 Institute for Global Health Technologies.

The recognition was granted for our innovative project: a 3D-Printed Infant Clubfoot Brace made from recycled PET plastic bottles. This device is specifically designed to provide an affordable, sustainable solution for treating clubfoot in infants, especially in underserved and rural communities across Ethiopia.

This milestone reflects our growing capacity to develop accessible, eco-conscious medical solutions and highlights our role in shaping the future of biodesign and healthcare innovation in Ethiopia and beyond.

Project Overview

YEHALABS has successfully developed a cost-effective, 3D-printed Foot Abduction Orthosis (FAO) for the treatment of infant clubfoot—an effort that addresses both medical and environmental challenges in resource-constrained settings.

What distinguishes this project is the use of recycled PET plastic, which transforms commonly discarded waste into a valuable healthcare solution. This approach not only reduces material costs but also contributes to the fight against plastic pollution, aligning with global sustainability goals.

Engineered using SolidWorks CAD software, the FAO design was optimized to minimize material usage while ensuring critical performance metrics, including:

• ✅ Adjustable abduction angles and dorsiflexion to accommodate various treatment stages
• ✅ Customizable foot width for enhanced comfort and anatomical alignment
• ✅ Lightweight yet durable structure, ideal for infant wear and long-term use
• ✅ Precision fit for improved therapeutic outcomes

This orthosis combines affordability, environmental sustainability, and medical effectiveness, offering a transformative solution for thousands of infants born with clubfoot each year in Ethiopia.

We extend sincere appreciation to our dedicated team and our valued partner, Corner for Healthcare Innovation (CHi), whose support was instrumental in achieving this success.