India, Aug. 31 -- Creating a custom prosthesis has traditionally started with a physical cast that is sent to engineers and the production facility. In India, this process can now begin with photographs taken on an ordinary smartphone.

A clinic specialist captures the shape of the limb, engineers receive the digital data, and the model of the future prosthesis can be refined without sending a physical cast. For a country as large as India, this is particularly practical: digital data travels much faster than a physical impression.

To introduce such a technology, a clinic needs direct contact with the manufacturer, clear documentation, specialist training and an opportunity to discuss service arrangements. These are among the tasks addre...