Soft Low-Cost Additively Manufactured Bionic Arm

Despite advances in prosthetic technology, studies show a high percentage of users abandon their prosthetics. This project develops a preliminary prototype of a soft, bionic arm aimed at reducing abandonment and evaluating the feasibility of a low-cost (~$1K), modular, highly realistic below-elbow forearm and hand biomimetic prosthetic.

A biomimetic approach and novel low-cost multi-material additive manufacturing process is used to directly print embedded touch sensors and tissue simulants, integrating actuators and wireless control electronics. Embedded tactile sensors provide feedback to support functional capacity — including grip force, grasp speed, durability, and reduced mental fatigue.