Leg&airy Champions 3D Printing and AI from Head to Toe

People with reduced mobility face many challenges in their daily lives and must navigate a long path filled with medical appointments, setbacks, hope, and disappointment. Leg&airy – Orthopedic Wonders, a company based in Baar, Switzerland, has set itself the goal of supporting these patients, especially children, on their journey and helping them regain greater mobility. Thanks to individually adapted orthoses, each patient can benefit from personalized follow-up. Leg&airy thus takes a sensitive path of therapeutics and allows everyone to benefit from lifelong support thanks to modern service, intelligent technology, and tailor-made design. To achieve this, Leg&airy relies, among other things, on 3D printing and artificial intelligence. The company aims to help its customers strengthen their resilience so that they become true masters—or even “legends”—in this field. We met with its CEO, Faizan Mohammad, to find out more!

3DN: Could you introduce yourself and tell us how Leg&airy was created?

Faiza Mohammad, CEO of Leg&airy

My name is Faizan Mohammad, CEO and co-founder of Leg&airy. Before dedicating myself to creating Leg&airy, I gained valuable experience as an IT specialist and business consultant in the healthcare, pharmaceutical, and financial fields. Creating Leg&airy was more than just a business project for me; it was a project close to my heart. In 2018, my son was diagnosed with a rare neuromuscular disease that significantly reduced his walking ability and required orthopedic devices. During this time, I witnessed firsthand how long and challenging the process of fitting a suitable prosthesis could be. This experience made me realize that the field of fitting and manufacturing orthotics had seen relatively little technical progress or innovation in recent decades. This is what drove me to revolutionize the world of orthopedic devices and improve the experience for patients and their families.

Since our beginnings in 2018, when we first experimented with manufacturing orthotics for dogs, we have expanded our product range and now offer complete orthopedic equipment from head to toe. Our products are individually adapted to the individual’s body using 3D scanners. They are not only lightweight but also breathable, ensuring optimal comfort. In addition, our products stand out from the competition thanks to their modern, personalized design.

3DN: How and why do you use 3D printing? What value does it add to the Leg&airy technology?

It’s an interesting story! It all started a few years ago when I visited a 3D printing booth at a trade show. I was impressed by the precision and possibilities this technology offers. The great thing about 3D printing is that it allows us to create tailor-made solutions for each patient. No two feet, hands, or backs are the same. Until now, solutions were also customizable, but the fitting was done by hand, with the risk of less accurate results or always depending on the knowledge of the technicians involved. But with 3D printing, we can change that. Thanks to the use of the most advanced 3D printing and scanning technology, combined with our unique Leg&airy Design fitting process, we can perfectly adapt each product to the customer’s body. No other manufacturing process can do this. As a result, we have managed to set a new benchmark in wearing comfort.

The combination of 3D scanning, 3D printing, and the Leg&airy Design fitting process allows for the custom manufacturing of orthoses.

3DN: What materials and technologies do you use?

To ensure the exceptional fit and precision of our products, we use the SLS printing process as well as FDM printing technology with the materials TPU and PA12. This combination allows us to achieve incredibly high precision with a print accuracy of 0.3 mm at a minimum wall thickness of only 1 millimeter. PA12, a carbon-reinforced polyamide, is our material of choice. It not only stands out for its exceptional lightness and strength, but also for its excellent skin compatibility. We are proud not only to offer innovative orthopedic solutions, but also to emphasize environmental friendliness and sustainability in our production. We achieve material savings of 96% compared to traditional manufacturing methods.

3DN: How do you use AI for the fabrication process?

Each of our orthoses is precisely tailored to the patient’s digital twin during the Leg&airy design process. As part of a research project in collaboration with universities, we are working on developing an intelligent machine learning algorithm to adapt orthopedic products to patients fully automatically during fitting. This presents a particular challenge, as every person is different (child vs. adult; small vs. large; etc.). With the help of AI-based manufacturing, we want to further reduce the time between the first consultation and delivery of orthopedic products and, thanks to better scalability, make life easier for even more patients with our products in the future.

3DN: What projects have you been most passionate about? What are your goals?

The most exciting projects were definitely the first prototypes! Let’s call them “learning opportunities!” There were many challenges, from the choice of materials to the structure. But with each mistake, we got closer to the ideal solution. And today, when I look back, I am grateful for each of these “failed attempts,” because they made us what we are today: Legendary. Currently, we are also working on many new projects. The most important thing for us is currently distributing our products and gaining new users and customers. It is above all about working closely with patients and doctors to offer the best possible therapy. We improve the products based on their feedback.

By collecting user data, Leg&airy aims to constantly improve its products and revolutionize orthopedics.

Our vision is to revolutionize the global orthopedic market by redefining how orthotics are manufactured, fitted, and ultimately delivered to users. The patient is at the center of all our efforts to create the best possible experience and ensure treatment success. Our main goal is to ensure that children enjoy wearing orthotics and prosthetics and can manage their daily lives in the best possible way.

3DN: Where do you see 3D printing in the medical sector in the coming years?

I see enormous potential in 3D printing in the medical sector. Every person and every body is unique. Standard products often cannot take this reality into account and no longer seem suitable for the digital revolution. In my opinion, every person should have the right to optimal treatment, whether or not their physical appearance conforms to society’s norms.

3D printing manufacturing makes it possible to fulfill this right. There are already a large number of 3D printing materials suitable for use in and on the human body. Furthermore, in recent years, we have seen rapid developments in the field of biocompatible materials and precise manufacturing techniques. Based on these developments, I believe that 3D printing will become increasingly important in the medical sector over the next ten years and will find numerous applications.

3DN: Any last word for our readers?

We would like to express our sincere thanks to the engaged readers of 3Dnatives. Your interest and contributions to the development of 3D printing are invaluable. As Leg&airy, we are proud to be part of this 3D printing community and to illustrate the enormous potential of 3D printing through our products. To learn more about Leg&airy, click HERE.

Standard products cannot meet the needs of modern orthopedics. The Leg&airy product family can be individually adapted to each body.

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*All Photo Credits: Leg&airy