28th November 2025
Written by Lucas Slusher (Hero Arm user) – Getting a new prosthetic hand can feel like a huge, overwhelming step. Maybe you’re not sure where to start, what you need, or how the whole process even works. As someone with a limb difference myself, I completely understand those feelings. That’s why at Open Bionics, we’re committed to making the experience as supportive, transparent, and stress-free as possible. From your very first conversation with us, all the way to the moment you try on your new prosthetic arm.
We recommend starting with a simple comparison of our devices. To understand the features, capabilities, limitations of the technology, you can access our latest brochure after signing up. While you review the technical specifications of our devices, a local member from our clinical team will reach out to see if you have any further questions about your prosthetic needs. Sometimes its parents researching to see if the their child will be able to play certain sports with the device, other times its patients researching for a more comfortable upgrade. Everyone’s journey looks different. You will only be speaking to a certified prosthetist or a qualified patient care coordinator, so rest assured any information you share with us will be strictly confidential as we adhere to HIPPA compliance regulations.
During this call, we’ll help you understand which prosthetic options might be a good fit and walk you through what comes next. Think of it as your “getting oriented” moment, we’re here to make sure nothing feels confusing or rushed.
One of the most common questions we hear is, “How much does a bionic arm cost?” And that’s totally understandable. If you want to understand all the funding pathways available, your clinician will go through them. If you want to know what the out-of-pocket costs would look like with health insurance we will go ahead and share a free insurance form that lets us check your coverage to ensure you have all the costs upfront before making any decisions.
If you’d like to explore funding pathways outside health insurance, our clinical team will connect you with our funding success manager who will share further details of grants/ donations available and go through what a crowdfunding campaign might look like if you wanted to explore this route.
If one of our devices is a right fit, the next step is a video consultation. This is where you get to actually see our bionic devices in action. We know your time and travel expenses are precious, so we pack as much as possible in this call. You will meet your local prosthetist, or carry on with a more thorough discussion about how your limb difference will respond to the prosthetic device. Cover insurance or funding options, timeline, appointments and go over any further questions you may have.
These consults are completely free, and we schedule them around your availability. There’s no pressure event after the first few conversations for you to make a decision. But we hope by this stage you will have all the information you need to explore prosthetic arm solutions.
If you decide you’d like to move forward, we’ll invite you to your nearest Open Bionics clinic for an in-person evaluation. Don’t worry, we’ll coordinate a date that works for you.
This visit is where things start to feel real. You’ll meet your clinician face-to-face, explore how the prosthesis works, and test your myosites (the muscle areas that help control the bionic arm you choose). You’ll literally get a chance to “test-drive” the device and see how it feels controlling the hand with your muscles.
Once we have the green light from you that you would like us to proceed with the custom design, we move to the next stage. In some cases if you have travelled to our clinic from a long way, we will try to make the Evaluation appointment and the cast/ check-socket fitting appointment happen within two days to minimize on travel.
Your clinician will take an impression of your arm using fiberglass, this becomes the foundation for your custom-fit socket.
Often on that very same day, we’ll create a check socket so you can try it on and make sure it’s comfortable. We’ll adjust as much as needed to make sure it feels just right.
From there, your Hero FLEX or Hero ARM goes into fabrication together with your chosen bionic hand Hero PRO/ Hero RGD, which typically takes 4–6 weeks. Then comes the big moment: delivery day!
This is one of the most joyful parts of the entire journey. Seeing you experience your new prosthetic hand for the first time never gets old for us.
We’ll check the fit again, show you how to use the SideKick app, and walk you through all the customization options. You’ll also get to try some fun tasks to build confidence and get comfortable using your new device.
Your support doesn’t end once you walk out with your prosthetic hand. We will check in a few weeks of you having the device and will carry on scheduling support appointments or fit checks if needed. We’re always here if you have questions, need help with features, or just want some guidance as you settle in. Once you’re part of the Open Bionics family, we’re with you for the long haul.
If you’re feeling ready to take the first step or even if you’re just curious, we’d love to talk. You can book a call with us directly. We can’t wait to meet you and help you begin your bionic journey.
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