Chicago Receives New 3D Laser-Scanning Technology

Chicago Receives New 3D Laser-Scanning Technology
Media Invited to Experience Laser, Meet Area's First Patient Recipient, Meet
Local Practitioner Certified in the Technology 


CHICAGO, Sept. 8  /PRNewswire/ -- A red laser swipes over a part of your body
and a three-dimensional replica, accurate to within one millimeter, instantly
appears on a computer screen in front of your eyes.  Sounds like a scene out of
the latest science fiction movie, doesn't it?  Well, it's not; it's the latest
patient treatment experience right here in Chicago.

Thanks to a newly developed motion-tracking laser scanner and 3D software
called Insignia, Chicago residents needing prosthetic and orthotic care can
experience a medical advancement that is revolutionizing patient treatment.

On Tuesday, September 14, media are invited to experience the new technology
firsthand, see live demonstrations, meet the area's first recipient of the
technology, below the knee amputee Dan Elko, and meet with Chicago's first
Insignia-certified practitioner.

              Tuesday, September 14, 2004 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
                     Hanger Prosthetics & Orthotics.
                    7222 West Cermack Road, Suite 504
                            Chicago, IL 60608
                               708-447-9860



*Live demonstrations of the Insignia scanning process versus the traditional
plaster casting method at 10:00am and 11:00am

What does it do?  When an amputee needs a prosthetic device to replace an arm
or leg, or when a patient needs an orthotic brace such as a spinal jacket or
cranial helmet, a practitioner must obtain a representation of the patient's
body part in order to develop a custom-fitting prosthetic or orthotic device. 
In the past, this has largely been done using a messy, invasive, and often
inconsistent method of plaster casting.  Insignia offers a faster, cleaner, and
less invasive alternative.  Using the laser scanner, a highly accurate
three-dimensional replica can be captured within seconds. Traditional casting
methods can take up to thirty minutes and require the patient to be wrapped in
wet, messy plaster. 

DATASOURCE: Hanger Orthopedic Group, Inc.



CONTACT:  Desiree Voinche of Hanger Orthopedic Group, Inc.,

[phone], or 



Web site:  http://www.hanger.com/

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