Purpose
Slitlamp smartphone adapters have become widely available, however, only a limited number of phone models are supported. We describe a process using 3D scanning and 3D printing to build customizable adapters that fit virtually any smartphone to any slitlamp.
Methods
With the selected smartphone, we obtained precise dimensions of the phone using 3D scanning (NextEngine 3D Scanner, Santa Monica, CA), which outputs a stereolithography (STL) file that can be manipulated in a variety of design software programs. We used AutoCAD software (AutoDesk, Inc. San Rafael, CA) to design a custom adapter from the dimensions obtained from the scanned phone using reverse engineering principles. A prototype of the custom adapter was then produced using 3D printing (Stratasys Fortus 400mc, Eden Prairie, MN). Each customized model was tested on our clinics’ slitlamps and verified for fit and ease of obtaining photographic images of the anterior segment.
Results
Slitlamp-mounted adapters for a variety of iPhone (Apple, Cupertino, CA) models as well as the Samsung Galaxy S4 (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Ridgefield Park, NJ) were built using this method. Precise measurements were obtainable using 3D scanning which were used to build accurate and custom adapters using AutoCAD followed by 3D printing.
Conclusions
3D scanning provides easy data acquisition of the phone dimensions that improves the accuracy of the 3D printed adapters and allows a wider range of phone models to be used for slitlamp photography.