Buttercup The Duck Lost His Foot, So A Group Of Scientists Just Printed Him A New One

Buttercup is a lucky duck with a fowl past, but he also has something most ducks don’t carry with them: a new leg hot off the press.

Buttercup was born with a rare birth defect that caused one of his legs to face the wrong direction. To fix the problem, his caretakers amputated the existing foot and gave him a new one so he could live a normal life (albeit a slightly more famous life).

This is what Buttercup looked like as just a little duckling:

Before resorting to extreme measures and printing the animals a prothetic, his caretakers attempted to put the poor baby through physical therapy. However, it proved unsuccessful and Buttercup as sent to Feathered Angels Waterfowl Sanctuary in Arlington, Tennessee.

After a few months spent at the bird sanctuary, caretaker Mike Garey decided to remove the foot. Sure, Buttercup COULD have a peg leg, but his owners chose instead to give him an original designed just for him.

The final 3D printed design is quite interesting. It uses a stretchy silicone sock to hold the new foot in place, without being uncomfortable. It took the team a few iterations and failed designs, but in the end Buttercup got a new foot and he was able to quit hobbling around on his stump.

We’re fascinated by the capabilities technology possesses. If you find it just as interesting as we do, please SHARE with friends and family who will also appreciate these advances.

[Featured Image Credit: Feathered Angels Waterfowl]