Young girls that suffer from spinal curvature will soon be able to wear lighter and more stylish 3D-printed braces to treat their condition.
The UNYQ Align is described as a "personalised, fashionable and breathable" back brace by its makers UNYQ.
The Seattle- and Seville-based company, which specialises in orthopaedic and prosthetic products, worked with 3D-printing pioneer Francis Bitonti and technology company Intel on the product.

Braces are a common treatment for scoliosis, which affects an estimated 6 to 9 million people in the United States.
"The condition typically develops in 10-15 year olds, occurring equally among both genders," said UNYQ in a statement. "Young girls, however, are eight times more likely to progress to a curve magnitude that requires treatment." As members of this demographic can be particularly self conscious about their appearance, the goal was to create a more discrete brace that wearers would feel comfortable in.

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Typically, the apparatus has to be worn for up to 18 hours a day to be most effective.
"Traditional braces, which have not been advanced for half a decade, make it difficult for patients to reach the minimum recommended bracing period per day because they are constricting, bulky and perceived as unattractive," said UNYQ.

Using digital design and algorithms, Bitonti's studio was able to cre...