How 3D Printed Arms Made A 12-Year-Old Amputee's Drumming Dream Come True

Aubrey Sauvie, a 12-year-old girl was born as a triple congenital amputee without both her arms below the elbow and some missing toes on her feet. For Sauvie, her disability was something she had known all her life but it never defined who she was.

"It is just one part of me" Aubrey on her Disability

In an interview with WKRN, this 12-year-old amputee said, “It’s just one part of me. It doesn’t make me, me. It was a challenge to learn, but as time went on, it became easier and easier until it wasn’t difficult at all.” Since her childhood, she has been an extraordinary child with many accolades and interests in dancing, and breaking boards. Her activities and experiences have never been challenged by her disability until her snare drum didn't hit the right sound. Her determined conviction and dedication couldn't help her hit the right sound for her snare drum to be pitch-perfect. This is where the Tennessee Tech University came into action.

It was Sauvie's middle school band teacher who pushed her forward and recognised the need for her to reach her full potential. Tennessee Tech University had launched a program, 'Engineering for Kids' which was a class program of 10 students who decided to help develop prosthetic arms to help Aubrey hit the snare drum right. This not only helped Sauvie but made her more confident to become a drummer and finally play her heart out without the drumsticks snapping on her elbows. 

The students at Tennessee Tech University were working on designing a prosthetic for Sauvie. After considering different options, they decided on a 3D-printed arm as a long-shot idea. During the design process, they thought about Sauvie's musical interests, such as playing the drums and the xylophone, and how the prosthetic would need to accommodate these activities. After a semester of work, they successfully created a 3D-printed prosthetic arm that allowed Sauvie to play the full drum set.