3D Printing in Orthotics & Prosthetics

Revolutionizing Orthotics: 3D-Sidekick App Transforms Foot Scanning

Sidekick Interactive, a Montreal-based mobile app development agency, is officially launching 3D-Sidekick, a mobile app that gives Orthotics & Prosthetics (O&P) professionals a faster, simpler, and far more accessible way to capture high-precision 3D limb scans using nothing more than an iPhone or iPad.

“For years, we were building six-figure mobile apps for big-name clients,” said Gregory Cerallo (pictured), CEO and cofounder of Sidekick Interactive. “While those projects looked impressive on paper, they rarely made a real difference in people’s lives. At some point, we asked ourselves: What if we stopped chasing the biggest clients and started building something with real impact? That question led us here.”

3D-Sidekick is a lightweight, mobile-first digital prosthetic fitting tool that delivers real-time 3D modelling, exportable scan files (OBJ, STL, GLTF), and instant AR previews. With no additional hardware or training required, the app makes it possible to:

  • Digitally capture a patient’s limb shape in seconds
  • Export scans to CAD/CAM systems or 3D printers
  • Reduce material waste and eliminate storage of molds
  • Improve turnaround time for prosthetics and orthotics

Whether you’re scanning an AFO in-clinic or capturing a residual limb during a home visit, 3D-Sidekick works anywhere an iPhone or iPad does.

Powered by a custom mobile 3D scanning engine, the app uses structured light scanning via the device’s native camera, combined with advanced computer vision and spatial mapping. It’s built for clinical reliability but designed like a consumer app: simple, fast, intuitive.

“Our goal was to make 3D scanning feel less like operating a machine and more like snapping a photo,” commented Cerallo.

Since its early beta, 3D-Sidekick has already helped clinicians streamline workflows in rural and urban clinics alike. One practitioner reported reducing scan-to-fit time by more than 50 percent. Another replaced a legacy setup worth over $10,000 with just one iPad and 3D-Sidekick.

“After hearing the same frustrations from countless O&P professionals, clunky tools, expensive equipment, poor UX, we saw a clear opportunity to build something better,” said Cerallo. “With 3D-Sidekick, we’re raising the bar with a modern, intuitive, and high-performance scanning app designed specifically for today’s clinical workflows.”

High-precision scanners on the market often cost between $500 and $5,000, and still require bulky hardware and steep learning curves. 3D-Sidekick delivers comparable accuracy through software alone, starting at just $59/month, available on the App Store in English and French.

That means more clinics can afford it. More patients can be seen faster. And more time can be spent designing devices instead of preparing molds.

But the true impact is bigger than convenience. According to the World Health Organization, 35-40 million people worldwide require prosthetic or orthotic devices. Yet most live in regions where access to proper equipment is scarce or unaffordable.

By removing the need for specialized scanners, 3D-Sidekick makes it possible to deliver high-quality care even in low-resource settings, and from rural clinics to mobile outreach programs. It helps clinicians reduce wait times, minimize fitting errors, and restore mobility to people who might otherwise go without.

“We’re not just scanning limbs,” said Cerallo. “We’re giving clinicians the power to act faster—and help more people walk, move, and live better.”

About Sidekick Interactive
Sidekick Interactive is a Montreal-based agency specializing in mobile app and software development. Sidekick Interactive has helped companies, institutions, and entrepreneurs bring their digital products to life — from initial strategy and UI/UX design to development and post-launch support.

3D-sidekick is available now on the Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/3d-sidekick/id6739503140

Reach out to schedule a live demo or request your media trial license: https://3dsidekickop.sidekickinteractive.com/

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