Research Publication

We are pleased to announce the publication of our paper “An Open-Source Apparatus for Standardized Static Biomechanical Testing of Hip Implants” in Hardware (MDPI), 2026, 4(3), 18.

Addressing Industry Challenges

Biomechanical testing of hip implant performance has traditionally relied on proprietary equipment and laboratory-specific protocols, making it difficult to reproduce and compare results across studies. This limitation has hindered the advancement of standardized testing methods in orthopedic research.

Key Innovation

The apparatus presented enables static biomechanical evaluation of implanted and non-implanted femurs under physiological loading conditions. It builds on the established Cristofolini–Viceconti methodology and extends it with specimen-specific 3D-printed alignment tools and an integrated abductor load cell.

Validation Results

Validation showed:

• Load-cell readings within 2.3% of theoretical values
• Positional reproducibility below 1 mm across tests

Open Source Commitment

Importantly, the complete design has been released as open source: all design files, build instructions, and cost data are freely available, so that other laboratories can construct the apparatus and verify its performance independently.

This publication represents our commitment to advancing medical technology through rigorous scientific research and evidence-based approaches. We are delighted to give back to the open-source community who has given so much to so many.

Collaborating Institutions

This work was developed in collaboration with:

• University of Thessaly
• University of West Attica
• National Technical University of Athens

Authors

Stella Stergiadou, Michael Hantes, Aris Zibis, Konstantinos Malizos, Konstantinos Kalkanis, Ilias Stavrakas, Ermioni Pasiou, Stavros Kourkoulis

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