Lucky Duck: Buttercup to Receive Prosthetic Foot Thanks to 3-D Printing Technology

Technology may provide some much needed medical benefits for those suffering from physical disabilities. Case and point? Buttercup the duck. 

Buttercup, who up until just recently had been struggling with a backward foot, finally received a viable recreation thanks to 3-D printing technology. 

Just last November, this incredible creature was born in a high school biology lab. Though he appeared like any normal yellow and fluffy duckling, a pedal deformity quickly revealed that he would have difficulties getting around--possibly, forever. 

However, thanks to a Tennessee-based group that came to his rescue called the Feathered angels Waterfowl Sanctuary, they wanted to help this duck get back to his normal routine again.

"With his deformed food, he would have been in pain and had constant cuts and foot infections walking on the side of it even at our sanctuary here," Mike Garey, the owner of the group said according to CNET, who is also a software engineer. 

The process to get her back on the right 'path' required that her deformed foot was amputated so a replacement could be added. Garey said that when he came across NovaCopy, a 3D printing company that agreed to help the duck, the rest was history as they took a mold of Minnie's left foot, Buttercup's sister, to make a new one for the duck. 

The company's website shows that instead of using usual plastics, they create a mold of the foot by using silicone materials that provide greater feel and flexibility used to harness movement. 

"This version will have a stretchy silicone sock instead of the finger trap, which will roll up on his leg, be inserted into the foot and then have a fastener in the bottom," Garey explained, via CNET.

Though right now Buttercup is just getting around with his stump, he will be receiving the new foot soon. To follow his progress, you can click on his Facebook page.

That's one lucky duck.