When Charlotte the green sea turtle was struck by a boat, his injuries rendered him mostly unable to swim. In addition to partial paralysis, Charlotte also suffered from “bubble butt syndrome,” a condition in which turtles have air trapped in the back of their shells that makes their rear ends buoyant and impedes their ability to swim.
Fortunately, Charlotte was rescued by Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut, where his team began working on a solution. They partnered with Adia and Formlabs, 3D printing companies, to develop a harness to make it easier for Charlotte to swim. They completed a 3D scan of Charlotte’s body and used it as a guide to develop a harness with a weight system that can be adjusted as the air bubbles shift, tilting the turtle to compensate.
The harness was completed in late 2024. It was printed using SLS 3D printers, which are some of the most accessible in the U.S., so the process can be replicated for injured turtles elsewhere.
