Boccia as a sport tailored to the player's abilities

Although boccia has been a Paralympic sport since 1984, many people have still not encountered it. The principle of the game is similar to pétanque – the aim is to place your balls as close as possible to the white target ball called the jack. However, it is played on a hard surface with special leather balls, and the rules allow the way of playing to be adapted to various types of disabilities.

Anička suffers from spinal muscular atrophy and competes in the BC3 category, which is intended for players who use a special ramp to release the balls. The assistant sets the direction of the ramp and places the ball, but the actual release must be performed by the player using their own strength.

Until now, Anička had been using a simple mouth-held pointer, with which she released the ball by moving her wheelchair forward. However, this solution was not ideal in terms of comfort or accuracy. Our task was to create a system that would move the pointer from her mouth to her head and offer greater comfort as well as better adjustment options.

Development of an individual sports aid

Development began with a few consultations directly with Anička. We needed to understand not only the game mechanics itself, but above all her individual movement capabilities, range of settings, and the way she uses the aid during a match.

Originally we considered using a cycle helmet as the basic carrier. However, it soon became clear that this solution would not be suitable. Anička needs more stable head support than a standard helmet can offer.

In the end, we used an Š-P 28 type protective shield as the basis. After removing the visor, a lightweight and easily adjustable head carrier was created, which provides sufficient support and allows the secure fastening of the entire structure.

For it, we designed and 3D printed a travelling carriage equipped with two adjustable joints. These can be easily locked using screws and eccentric levers. To the structure, we attached a 124-centimetre-long telescopic pole ending in a special attachment that allows the ball to be released even over the side of the ramp.

The whole system is modular. Individual rods can be easily changed as needed, and during play, all joints can be quickly loosened, readjusted and secured again without the use of special tools.

Prototyping, testing and the right choice of materials

As with most bespoke aids, the final solution here was not created on the first attempt. Anička and I continuously tested the first prototype and modified it based on the feedback received.

The biggest changes concerned the lengths of the individual parts, joint spacings, and the colour-coding of the locking levers to make operation during a match as quick and clear as possible.

The first version was almost entirely printed from Prusament PLA, which offers high rigidity. However, for the most stressed parts, we chose more durable materials. For locations with a higher risk of cracking, we used Prusament PETG, and one of the most heavily loaded pins was printed from Prusament PC Blend, which offers significantly higher mechanical resistance.

Precisely the ability to combine different materials and print a new version of a part within a few hours was one of the main advantages of the entire development.

Result

A lightweight, adjustable and easily serviceable head pointer was created, designed precisely to the needs of a single female athlete. Thanks to the modular design, individual parts can be modified at any time or simply replaced with a new print.

The project demonstrated that 3D printing can offer affordable solutions even where custom manufacturing using traditional methods would be too costly or time-consuming. Individual sports and compensatory aids are among the areas where digital manufacturing can significantly improve the quality of life and opportunities for people with disabilities.