We’re proud to share the successful completion of the Azad 3D Birthright Armenia Alumni Microgrant, submitted by TFA members Armineh Babikian and Kelsey Adrian. The $2,000 grant was awarded to the Lousé Rehabilitation Center Foundation to support research and development of Azad 3D and to launch a mentorship program with Lousé’s robotics students.
As part of this initiative, ArmBionics, an Azad 3D partner specializing in 3D-printed prosthetics, hosted an educational workshop in Engineer City for the students. Students learned how 3D printing is used to design and refine assistive products for people with disabilities and toured the Museum of Science and Technology- an experience that inspired many to consider future paths in STEM.
Additionally, the team completed a needs assessment across Armenia with 6 individuals to better understand gaps and obstacles of obtaining assistive devices in Armenia as well as their interest in 3D-printed devices. We then held focus groups at Lousé Foundation in Yerevan with 8 participants to gather feedback and test initial prototypes. Insights from participants are guiding refinements for a second round of product testing.
Check out a video about the grant implementation here.