Open Bionics is a 3D printed open source prosthetic specialist. At the Wired Next Generation event that was held on November 5th, Samantha Payne, the founder of this organization discussed the idea behind their superhero prosthetics for kids.

The Bristol-based company has worked tirelessly to provide affordable prosthetics to the needful around the globe. It is more famously known for its 3D printed ADA hand. Moreover, the 3D printed versions of the files are available for free download. Some of their notable prosthetics include the Star Wars Prosthetic arm and the Iron Man and Frozen prosthetics.

Children feel insecure and shy about their prosthetics. Therefore, the prosthetics are usually designed as close to the real thing as possible. Open Bionics, however, has given a different light to this thinking. It aims at making trendy and funky prosthetics which delights children. They consider themselves as a superhero on wearing the prosthetics and no longer shy away from it.

Samantha further explained that her company’s prosthetics arms make the children feel like superheroes and it will boost their confidence. They have made designs like Iron man, Frozen, Star Wars and many more famous cartoons. The kids will no longer feel insecure, in fact, their new identities will make them people who they have always wanted to be.

These Bionics hands are 20 times cheaper than the conventional devices offered by the doctors. They have supplied these prosthetics arms to around 2 million people worldwide. The four-member prosthetic team produces a limb in three days. To provide this facility to a wider array of people, the Bionics team made their devices open-source. Now, people from all over the world can 3D print their own prosthetics. Even designers can work on the designs to improve them further.

Open Bionics was commenced in 2014 and it also won a prize money of $ 250,000 at the ‘Make it Wearable’ Intel challenge.

Source: 3ders.org