20 | LEHIGH ALUMNI BULLETIN | FROM THE NEST Using the three-dimensional (3D) printers and other equipment in Wilbur Powerhouse, a group of students who belong to Lehigh’s chapter of the online global group Enabling the Future (LU e-Nable) is developing a prototype for an upper limb prosthesis in collaboration with a Spanish nongovernmental organization. The students are working with Ayúdame3D, which provides body-powered prosthetic arms, free of charge, to those in need around the world. The aim is to expand options for the NGO and its 3D network by developing a prosthetic that can improve functionality and be produced at a much lower cost than currently possible. “This is important because there are a lot of people in low-income countries and in developing countries and in conflict areas where prosthetics are needed,” said Tomas Gonzalez-Fernandez, assistant professor of bioengineering, who co-advises the Lehigh group with Susan Perry, assistant dean of academic affairs for the Rossin College. Ayúdame3D identifies patients and then 3D prints prosthetics to their specifications. Since the prosthetics are usually mechanical, Gonzalez-Fernandez said, that can pose problems for some patients—such as those with an amputation closer to the shoulder—who do not have the muscles to move the prosthetics. “We are helping the NGO to incorporate some muscle sensors and electronics into the prosthetics, so the prosthetics are actioned not only by the mechanical movement of the arm, but also through the sensing of the movement of the muscles,” he said. Zachary Weiser ’25, co-president of the Lehigh chapter with Sean Fleming ’25, said students plan to test and refine their design over the next academic year. They will seek feedback from staff and patients at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation in Center Valley, Pennsylvania. Collision of Power: Trump, Bezos, and The Washington Post by Marty Baron ’76 ’76G ’14H Baron’s memoir chronicles his tenure as executive editor of The Washington Post, providing gripping insights into politics, power and journalism. Baron and his colleagues faced unrelenting pressure in meeting the demands of a new owner and dealing with a contentious president. Been There Got Out: Toxic Relationships, High Conflict Divorce, and How to Stay Sane Under Insane Circumstances by Chris Barry ’88 and Lisa Johnson The authors provide practical advice for those suffering in a toxic relationship, or struggling to get out, especially navigating family court. Daddy Ball: Sucking the Fun Out of Youth Sports by Doug Rogers ’82 ’83G Rogers offers a funny take on the chaotic state of youth sports, contrasting today’s mania with stories from his own childhood sports escapades. Birth of the Geopolitical Age: Global Frontiers and the Making of Modern China by Shellen Wu Wu, the L.H. Gipson Chair in Transnational History, draws on research she conducted in Asia, North America and Europe. She demonstrates that frontiers, shaped by global scientific advancement, have remained a key concept throughout the modern history of geopolitics. BOOKSHELF STUDENT EXPERIENCE E-Nabling the Future Student group makes 3-D printed prosthetics to help those in need. CHRISTA NEU
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