Open Bionics: The hi-tech prosthetics turning disabilities into superpowers

The Third Angle

Open Bionics is a UK-based company developing low-cost, 3D printed prosthetics designed to enhance people’s lives and display their creativity. Their products include the Hero Arm, a lightweight prosthetic arm, the Gauntlet, a partial hand prosthesis, and the Hero Flex, an activity arm. Rather than making prosthetics which attempt to look like real limbs, Open Bionics are unashamedly robotic. Their products are fully customisable and include designs from popular brands like Marvel and Disney.

We head to the Open Bionics headquarters in Bristol, UK to talk to Chief Technology Officer Damian Axford. Damian walks us through their clinic, labs and offices to explain how they are using technology to make their products more accessible and why Open Bionics were pioneers in the 3D printing of prostheses.

Find out more about Open Bionics here.

Find out more about Onshape here.

Your host is Paul Haimes from industrial software company PTC.

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This is an 18Sixty production for PTC. Executive producer is Jacqui Cook. Sound design, location recording and editing by Clarissa Maycock. Music by Rowan Bishop.