13th January 2025
At Open Bionics, we are excited to share our modular wrist system designed for developing and interchanging prosthetic terminal devices.
This system enables amputees and people born with limb differences to use one arm for many activities. Pictured above is a wrist with an activity attachment designed by Open Bionics that enables easier LEGOⓇ building for kids and adults without hands.
We’ve set the ball-rolling by adding the LEGOⓇ attachment for your Hero Flex here. Download, print, attach and get building those LEGOⓇ sets!
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More than 270,000 people around the world wear an arm prosthesis, yet activity specific terminal devices are only available from a limited number of suppliers, can cost thousands of dollars and typically can only be purchased through a specialist clinic.
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We’re inviting you to create your own activity-specific attachments for whatever activity, interest or passion you want to pursue.
More than 270,000 people around the world wear an arm prosthesis, yet activity specific terminal devices are only available from a limited number of suppliers, can cost thousands of dollars and typically can only be purchased through a specialist clinic.
Our own community of Hero Arm and Hero Flex users include hundreds of extraordinary individuals, many of whom are skilled engineers, hobbyist designers, or athletes used to tinkering with gear and 3D printing.
To support them and the entire limb different community in making activities more accessible, we are proud to continue revolutionizing prosthetic design with the release of a modular wrist system for terminal devices, available under an open-source license on Printables and OnShape.
This industry-first move empowers prosthetics users and community focused engineers by providing the building blocks to design and self-manufacture their own terminal devices.
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Always wanted to attach a piece of equipment to your arm to enable you in your sport? Gym? Golf? Training? Teaching? Cooking? Eating? Fishing? Now you can create your own attachment and connect it easily to your socket.
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Always wanted to attach a piece of equipment to your arm to enable you in your sport? Gym? Golf? Training? Teaching? Cooking? Eating? Fishing? Now you can create your own attachment and connect it easily to your socket.
By enabling easier access to terminal devices, Open Bionics furthers its mission to make prosthetics more accessible and adaptable, fueling innovation through a community-driven approach.
The system supports quick disconnect wrists like the popular USMC-style that is used by our Hero Flex activity arm. This enables users to switch between activities quickly without having to remove their entire arm.
Training for a triathlon? A user may want an activity specific attachment for paddling before clipping out and into a bike attachment before running with an ultralightweight attachment that enables them to securely hold a water bottle.
By releasing these designs under a Creative Commons – Attribution – Noncommercial – Share Alike license, we aim to empower the global community to innovate and create their own solutions for prosthetic devices; or work with friends, families, libraries, makerspaces, schools, universities, and communities to bring their ideas to life.
These building blocks are available on the Printables platform, with detailed assemblies also available in OnShape, providing an open-source foundation for users to design and customise prosthetic terminal devices. Whether you’re an engineer, maker, or prosthetist, this system is a springboard to share your designs and inspire others.
As certain designs gain popularity, we may engage their creators to explore opportunities for formal testing and manufacturing under a royalty-based license. We believe that collaboration and open design will help drive the future of prosthetic technology.
Join us in this open-source initiative to enhance the possibilities for prosthetic limb development and support people with limb differences to take part in any activity they choose! Happy making!
Disclaimer:
Community designs on Printables are not certified or tested by Open Bionics. Use at your own risk. Review industry standards (e.g., BS EN/IEC 60601) for safety. Open Bionics is not liable for accidents or injuries.
Book a call with one of our prosthetists for the latest catalog of activity attachments with medical certifications.