Symposium topic
This symposium examines the present state and future trajectory of digital prosthetics and orthotics (P&O) manufacturing across Asia, drawing on implementation experiences from Thailand, Japan, Malaysia, and India. Despite significant unmet demand for P&O services across the region, digital fabrication — including 3D scanning, computer-aided design, and 3D printing — remains underutilised. The symposium presents four perspectives on overcoming this gap: how next-generation practitioners are embracing 3D technology in P&O education; quality assurance through manufacturing traceability systems; fabrication materials performance; and clinical implementation with gait analysis outcomes. Together, these perspectives outline pathways towards broader digital adoption across Asia.
Underpinning science and theory
The symposium is grounded in empirical evidence from ongoing programmes at SSPO (Thailand), Universiti Malaya, and Mobility India, supported by digital manufacturing science and technology adoption theory. Evidence encompasses clinical case data, educational programme outcomes, materials testing results, and gait analysis findings from diverse Asian settings.
Relevance for the ISPO World Congress
Held in Bangkok, the 2027 Congress provides an ideal platform for this cross-regional synthesis. Presenters from Thailand, Japan, Malaysia, and India collectively embody the Congress theme — "A World Connected: Advancing Assistive Technologies for Global Equity" — through concrete, practice-relevant evidence from four national contexts.
Perspectives
Four perspectives are presented: Ms. Wisavaporn Niamsang (SSPO) on next-generation P&O education through 3D technology; Ms. Ritu Ghosh (Mobility India) on clinical implementation and gait analysis; Associate Professor Dr. Nasrul Anuar Abd Razak (Universiti Malaya) on fabrication materials performance; and Mr. Shinichiro Kon (Instalimb) on manufacturing traceability and quality assurance.
Learning objectives
By the end of this symposium, participants will be able to: (1) explain how next-generation practitioners are experiencing and adopting 3D technology in P&O education and clinical training; (2) describe the role of traceability systems in ensuring consistency and quality in digital P&O manufacturing; (3) evaluate fabrication material performance in digital P&O production and compare results with conventional analogue methods; (4) appraise clinical evidence on implementation outcomes and gait analysis following digital P&O fitting across diverse Asian populations; and (5) identify strategies for applying these insights within their own institutional and regional contexts.
