The orthotics sector is no longer asking whether it should digitise. Increasingly, the question is how quickly clinics, manufacturers and service providers can implement digital systems that work at scale.
That was one of the strongest themes to emerge from Taika3D’s reflections on OTWorld, following the company’s conversations with orthotists, manufacturers, clinics and innovation teams at the international trade show in Leipzig.
For IMEA CPO readers, the message is particularly relevant. Across the Middle East, Africa and wider emerging markets, orthotic services are under pressure to manage rising demand, reduce waiting times, improve consistency and serve more patients with limited specialist capacity. Digital tools are increasingly being seen not only as an innovation story, but as a workforce and access solution.
Automation is becoming a practical priority
According to Taika3D, one of the clearest signals from OTWorld was the growing appetite for automation in orthotics. Organisations are looking for ways to reduce dependence on highly manual design processes, especially in high-volume areas such as custom foot orthotics and ankle-foot orthoses.
This reflects a wider challenge across the O&P sector. Manual orthotic design, modification and production can be highly skilled, but also time-consuming. In many clinics and central fabrication settings, specialist knowledge is concentrated among a small number of experienced clinicians or technicians. When demand rises, this creates bottlenecks.
Automation does not remove the need for clinical judgement. Instead, its strongest role may be in reducing repetitive design tasks, improving consistency and allowing skilled professionals to focus more time on assessment, prescription, fitting, patient education and review.
For regions where orthotic services are still developing, this distinction matters. Digital automation should not be seen as replacing expertise, but as helping scarce expertise reach more patients.
From digital adoption to workflow optimisation
A second theme from OTWorld was that many organisations have already started their digital journey. Scanners, CAD software, CNC milling and 3D printing are no longer experimental concepts for many orthotic providers. The new challenge is connecting these tools into smoother and more scalable workflows.
Taika3D noted that many teams are already using digital capture, design and production technologies, but still face fragmented processes. Manual design adjustments, disconnected software and inefficient handovers can limit the benefits of digital adoption.
This is an important point for clinics and manufacturers in IMEA markets. Buying a scanner or 3D printer does not automatically create a digital workflow. The real value comes when patient data capture, design, clinical approval, production preparation, fabrication and follow-up are integrated into a repeatable process.
For O&P businesses, the next stage of digitisation is therefore less about individual devices and more about systems. The goal is to build a workflow that is reliable, clinically controlled and commercially sustainable.
AFOs are emerging as a major opportunity
Ankle-foot orthoses were another major area of interest at OTWorld. Taika3D reported strong demand from manufacturers and specialists looking to modernise AFO design and production, particularly by reducing manual modelling time and improving repeatability.
AFOs represent a significant opportunity because they are clinically important, widely prescribed and technically demanding. They must balance support, alignment, comfort, gait function, durability and user acceptance. Small design changes can have a major effect on fit and performance.
Digital AFO workflows can potentially support:
- Faster shape adaptation
- More consistent device geometry
- Easier modification of trimlines and relief areas
- Improved repeatability across production teams
- More efficient preparation for 3D printing or CNC machining
- Better storage and reproduction of patient-specific designs
However, AFO digitisation also requires caution. Unlike simple flat insoles, AFOs interact with the whole lower limb and gait cycle. Successful adoption depends on strong clinical protocols, appropriate material selection, reliable testing and skilled fitting.
For IMEA clinics and central fabrication units, AFO digitisation may be one of the most important future opportunities, but it should be introduced with training, quality assurance and clear clinical governance.
3D printing is moving from possibility to practicality
Taika3D’s OTWorld reflections also pointed to the rapid maturation of 3D printing in orthotics. The conversation has moved beyond whether additive manufacturing is possible. Many organisations are now asking how it can be scaled, standardised and integrated into daily production.
This aligns with the wider direction of OTWorld 2026, where the official event programme highlighted innovation areas including 3D printing, robotics, artificial intelligence and digital processes.
For orthotic services, 3D printing can offer several potential advantages, including patient-specific design freedom, repeatable production, reduced manual fabrication steps and the ability to store and reproduce digital files. It may be especially useful for custom insoles, selected AFOs, spinal supports, paediatric devices and complex lightweight structures.
But the practical questions remain important:
- Which devices are clinically appropriate for 3D printing?
- Which materials meet durability and safety requirements?
- How will devices be tested and quality controlled?
- Can production costs compete with existing methods?
- Who is responsible for design approval and clinical risk?
- How will repairs, adjustments and replacements be managed?
In many IMEA settings, 3D printing may develop alongside, rather than replace, existing methods such as polypropylene vacuum forming, EVA milling and traditional plaster or foam-based workflows.
Manual skills still matter
The movement toward digital workflows should not lead the profession to undervalue manual orthotic skills. Plaster modification, hand finishing, material behaviour, alignment, trimline judgement and clinical problem-solving remain essential.
In fact, digital systems often work best when built around experienced clinical and technical knowledge. Automation can replicate a protocol, but the quality of that protocol depends on the expertise used to create it.
For emerging markets, this is especially important. Many clinics may adopt digital tools to improve efficiency, but they still need staff who understand the body, the device and the patient. Digital orthotics should therefore be treated as an extension of clinical craftsmanship, not a replacement for it.
Partnerships will shape the next phase
Taika3D also highlighted collaboration as a major theme at OTWorld. Hardware providers, scanning companies, software developers and manufacturers are increasingly looking for partnerships rather than isolated solutions.
This ecosystem approach is likely to define the next phase of orthotic innovation. Clinics do not want disconnected tools that create extra work. They need scanning, design, production and ordering systems that communicate smoothly.
For the IMEA region, partnerships could be particularly important. Many local providers do not have the resources to build complete digital infrastructure alone. Regional distributors, central fabrication centres, universities, hospitals, NGOs and software providers may need to work together to make scalable digital orthotics realistic.
This could create new models, including:
- Regional digital design hubs
- Central fabrication for smaller clinics
- Cloud-based orthotic design services
- Training partnerships between universities and manufacturers
- NGO-supported digital production for humanitarian rehabilitation
- Hybrid workflows combining local scanning with central production
What this means for IMEA orthotics
The key lesson from Taika3D’s OTWorld reflections is that digital orthotics is entering a more mature phase. The focus is shifting from individual technology adoption to workflow design, scalability and integration.
For IMEA CPO readers, this shift has several implications.
First, clinics should avoid buying technology without a workflow plan. A scanner, CAD package or printer should fit into a clear process for assessment, prescription, design, approval, production and review.
Second, training is essential. Digital tools require new competencies, but they also depend on traditional orthotic knowledge. The best outcomes will come from teams that understand both.
Third, automation may help address workforce shortages. In regions with limited numbers of experienced orthotists and technicians, digital systems could support higher throughput and more consistent device production.
Fourth, AFOs may become one of the most important growth areas for digital orthotic design. The clinical demand is high, and the potential efficiency gains are significant.
Finally, the profession must keep patient outcomes at the centre. Digital workflows should be judged not only by speed or productivity, but by fit, comfort, function, safety and long-term use.
A connected future for orthotics
OTWorld showed that orthotics is moving rapidly toward more digital, automated and connected models of care. Taika3D’s reflections capture a wider industry mood: the technology is becoming more practical, the appetite for change is growing and the pressure to scale services is increasing.
For the Middle East and Africa, this creates both an opportunity and a responsibility. Digital orthotics could help expand access, reduce waiting times and support more consistent care. But it must be implemented carefully, with clinical leadership, technical training and realistic workflow planning.
The next phase of orthotic innovation will not be defined by one technology alone. It will be shaped by how well scanning, software, automation, manufacturing and clinical expertise are connected into systems that genuinely improve patient care.
- Taika3D: Our OTWorld reflections – what we’re seeing in orthotics
- Taika3D software solutions
- OTWorld official website
- ISPO event listing: OTWorld 2026
- Taika3D: Impact of new technology
- Research: Ankle-Foot Orthosis Made by 3D Printing Technique and Automated Design Software
- World Health Organization: Assistive technology