• About
  • Contact
  • Testimonials
  • Newsletter
  • More
    • Demographics & Advertising Rates
    • Terms & Conditions
Saturday, March 25, 2023
No Result
View All Result
California Business Journal
  • Front Page
  • Business
  • Finance
  • People
  • Featured
  • Opinion
  • Technology
  • Law
  • News
  • Food
  • Art & Culture
  • Human Interest
  • Education
  • Insurance
  • Real Estate
  • Health & Fitness
California Business Journal
escondido-students-calexis-and-calramon-mabalot-opened-a-business-making-products-through-3d-printing-including-a-robotic-prosthetic-hand-they-show-a-pl

BROTHERS BUILD CUTTING-EDGE 3D PROSTHETIC HANDS

Calramon and Calexis Mabalot manufacture specialty products for an international market through their business Brother Robot.

by Deborah Sullivan Brennan, San Diego Union Tribune
A A
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Escondido students Calexis and Calramon Mabalot opened a business making products through 3D printing, including a robotic prosthetic hand. They show a plastic gun designed inspired by the video game Mass Effect and a spiral vase (Don Boomer)

On a recent afternoon Calramon Mabalot, 10, and his brother, Calexis, 12, tinkered with an orange toy gun and a plastic watch in their family’s Escondido home. Their 3-D printer hummed in the background, as it does round the clock, producing everything from key fobs and video game props to functional prosthetic limbs.

Through their business, Brother Robot, the boys manufacture specialty products for an international market. And recently they started building cutting-edge prosthetic hands.

Calramon, a fifth-grader at Reidy Creek School, is the engineer, who built the 3-D printer and handles the mechanical tasks. Calexis, in eighth grade at Rincon Middle School, is the computer guy, who does the digital design for their projects.

The brothers showed a talent for technology at an early age, said their father, Carlos Mabalot. Calramon started flying drones at age 5, and Calexis taught himself to use a computer at the same age, then learned programming and coding in sixth grade.

They got the 3-D printing bug two years ago after watching the Disney movie “Big Hero 6,” in which the characters printed a suit of armor.

ADVERTISEMENT

Together, they pooled their birthday money — more than $600 — and purchased a kit for the printer. Calramon, then 8, assembled it on his own, customizing it with a bigger heated bed and industrial quality “hot end” — the part that melts and dispenses the plastic filament.

“It was pretty hard,” he said, as if describing a new Lego set. “It was like a puzzle.”

Although he sometimes got frustrated, he stayed focused on the task, his father said.

“He was absolutely meticulous in doing this,” said Mabalot, who works as a platform engineer for Daybreak Game Company, formerly Sony Online Entertainment, in San Diego. “He did this whole thing himself, putting it together in four days.”

The boys then started experimenting, scanning subjects, and reproducing them in plastic. One of their first projects was a chess set featuring them and their cousins posing with Nerf guns.

Once they got the hang of it, the pair formed Brother Robot. Mabalot, who describes himself as their chauffeur and project manager, helped them set up the company’s website and drove them to downtown San Diego, where the boys filled out the paperwork to establish their business.

They began marketing their products through the website 3DHubs, which connects customers with 3-D printing services. The orders started flowing in and the brothers fill them between homework, music and martial arts lessons.

Calramon has earned enough that he was able to buy a fleet of quadcopters, which he races competitively. He has also used his 3-D printer to build his own parts for his drone army.

Some of the boys’ biggest projects, however, are volunteer jobs. This summer they began visiting the innovation lab at the downtown San Diego library to hone their skills and pick up new ones, such as laser-cutting.

They were working in a group focused on making hand reproductions when they met Nick Sissakis, a library visitor who was born without his right hand.The librarian challenged the brothers to help make a prosthetic for Sissakis that not only matched the form of his left hand, but also mimicked its function.

They scanned Sissakis’ left hand and then built him an equivalent one, equipped with tension wires that allowed the hand to flex and grip in response to his muscles.

“It almost exactly matched his right hand, which created a prosthetic hand from a 9-year-old,” Calexis said.

nick-sissakis-shows-the-prosthetic-hand-that-escondido-student-calramon-mabalot-and-his-brother-calexis-built-for-him-with-their-3d-printer-photo-courte
Nick Sissakis shows the prosthetic hand that Escondido student Calramon Mabalot and his brother Calexis built for him with their 3D printer. (Photo courtesy of Carlos Mabalot)

Virginia music teacher Bette Gawinski had been seeking a prosthetic device for a viola student with a disability, and saw a news segment on the project. Immediately, she leaped out of her chair and onto her computer to contact the brothers.

The middle school music teacher and orchestra director hoped that 3-D printing could help her student, who was born with partially fused and shortened fingers on his right hand. Although he is passionate about music, the condition hinders his ability to properly grip a bow.

Calramon, who plays violin, and Calexis, a guitarist, were eager to help. They sent Gawinski their scanner to make a digital replica of the student’s hands. Once they receive the file, they will get to work on design and production.

On a Skype call last week, Calexis said the device, “would look like a hand but hook onto the bow.” It would be set in a flexed position to comfortably grip the bow, but could open when the student exerted his muscles.

“I’m just really happy that this is happening,” Gawinski said. “This little boy is such a good kid, and he wants to play the viola, and I want to help him do it.”

With early professional success under their belts, the brothers are thinking about their futures. They have very different visions.

“I want to be a pirate for the U.S. government,” said Calexis, who plans to earn a certificate from M.I.T which would establish his skills in pistol, archery, sailing, and fencing.

Calramon thinks he’ll stick to his current path: “I want to build a better, bigger, 3-D printer.”

Read original article here

Tags: 3D3D Printing3D prosthetic handbrotherCalexisCalramon MabalotchaircodingDiegoGroupindustrialinnovationjobsLos Angeles Business NewsmakingmarketingmusicnewsOrange County Business JournalplansplasticrobotSanSan Diegoskillsteachertechnologyvideo
ADVERTISEMENT
Deborah Sullivan Brennan, San Diego Union Tribune

Deborah Sullivan Brennan, San Diego Union Tribune

Related Posts

YouTube star and software developer Aaron Jack created a business using his background in software development to train the next generation of coders.
Freemote Launches Aspiring Coders from Zero Experience to Freelance Developers in Weeks
Michael Jafar, President & CEO of Desktop Health
Dentures . . . Printed in 3D
advertisement
ADVERTISEMENT

CBJ Newsletter

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Instagram LinkedIn

Advertise With CBJ

Contact Rick@CalBizJournal.com

CBJ Rates and Demographics

Job Postings

CEO Wanted


Requirements: BS/BA + 2yrs of Business Managing Experience

Mail Resume: Grand Life, Inc. 14647 Northam St. La Mirada, CA 90638.

$114,754/year

ADVERTISEMENT
1REALTOUR-SAN DIEGO-WEB DESIGN
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn LinkedIn Instagram Youtube
C B J   LOGO  SVG-01
  • About
  • Contact California Business Journal
  • Testimonials
  • Demographics & Advertising Rates
  • Terms & Conditions

Categories

  • Art & Culture
  • Business
  • California Hotel Listings
  • Daily Updates
  • Editor's Choice
  • Education
  • Featured
  • Finance
  • Food & Dining
  • Health & Fitness
  • Human Interest
  • Insurance
  • Law
  • Lawyers
  • Marketing
  • Medical
  • News
  • Newsletter
  • Opinion
  • People
  • Popular
  • Real Estate
  • Social Media
  • Technology
  • Uncategorized

CBJ Partner Firebrand Media

Laguna Beach Independent Newspaper
 Laguna Beach City Guide
 Newport Beach Independent Newspaper
Newport Beach Country Club Magazine
  Montage Magazine
 Omni Escapes Hotel Magazine
 Bespoke Concierge New York
 Evans Hotels
 Laguna Beach Magazine
 On The Menu Laguna Beach
 Newport Beach Magazine
Coastal Real Estate Guide (NB,LB, CDM)
Monarch Beach Resort Magazine
 Pacific Coast Magazine (SoCal)
Sea Island Life Magazine
Salamander Hotel & Resorts Magazine
 View our entire portfolio

 

Most Viewed

  • Gavel, scales of justice and law books

    Lawsuit Basics: How Much Does It Cost to Sue Someone?

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Investigation: Can TriumphFX Take Your Money?

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • The Impact of Covid: Racing to Buy Second Citizenships

    3 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • What to Do When an Online Casino Refuses to Pay Out Your Winnings

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • The Truth About Temu: Where Is It From?

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Top 5 Flavors On Elf Bar BC5000 Review

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • NFL Paychecks: How Do NFL Players Get Paid?

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Temu’s New Shipping Policy Is A Smashing Hit For Shoppers All Over the Country

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Five Reasons Why The Government Does Not Like Bitcoin

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • How to Start a Telecommunication Business: A Step-By-Step Guide

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Latest Articles

Shoe Packing Isn’t as Easy as You Think on Moving Day

Shoe Packing Isn’t as Easy as You Think on Moving Day

How to Prepare Your Home for a Successful Sale

How to Prepare Your Home for a Successful Sale

Is It Possible to Track Facebook Messenger Secretly?

Is It Possible to Track Facebook Messenger Secretly?

How To Date Over 60 Successfully?

How To Date Over 60 Successfully?

BioLargo’s PFAS Treatment Technology Meets EPA’s Proposed New Drinking Water Standards

BioLargo’s PFAS Treatment Technology Meets EPA’s Proposed New Drinking Water Standards

7 Factors to Consider While Picking the Right Freight Carrier for Your E-Commerce Business

7 Factors to Consider While Picking the Right Freight Carrier for Your E-Commerce Business

The Marketing Effect On Healthcare and Wellness Organizations

The Marketing Effect On Healthcare and Wellness Organizations

5 Reasons Why E-Commerce Businesses Rely So Much on Third-Party Logistics (3PL) Services

Why E-Commerce Businesses Rely So Much on Third-Party Logistics (3PL) Services

Making The Smart Choice: Why You Should Shop Online For Best Selling Products

Making The Smart Choice: Why You Should Shop Online For Best Selling Products

Maximize Your Instagram Followers With These Creative Tips

Maximize Your Instagram Followers With These Creative Tips

California Business Journal | California Business News, California News Media, California business articles | Orange County, Los Angeles, San Diego, Inland Empire, Northern California, San Francisco | Huntington Beach CA 92649 | (949) 648-3815
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED BY CALIFORNIA BUSINESS JOURNAL.
Site Design by 1REALTOUR

No Result
View All Result
  • Front Page
  • Business
  • Finance
  • People
  • Featured
  • Opinion
  • Technology
  • Law
  • News
  • Food
  • Art & Culture
  • Human Interest
  • Education
  • Insurance
  • Real Estate
  • Health & Fitness

California Business Journal | California Business News, California News Media, California business articles | Orange County, Los Angeles, San Diego, Inland Empire, Northern California, San Francisco | Huntington Beach CA 92649 | (949) 648-3815
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED BY CALIFORNIA BUSINESS JOURNAL.
Site Design by 1REALTOUR