Bionic hand prosthesis for children

Bionic Hand Prosthesis for Children

Early adaptation of a prosthesis is beneficial as it minimizes compensatory movements and reduces the risk of scoliosis. While passive (cosmetic) prostheses are easily accepted among the pediatric population due to their low weight, heavier bionic prostheses often cause discomfort, contributing to device abandonment. Another major drawback is their high cost, which far exceeds reimbursement limits in many regions around the world. A team from the Warsaw University of Technology is working to address this issue by developing an active prosthesis that is as lightweight as a cosmetic model while remaining functional—facilitating everyday activities such as brushing hair, tying shoes, and grasping or manipulating objects.

As part of the first edition of PRIME - a program by the Foundation for Polish Science supporting researchers in commercializing their discoveries (funded by the European Funds for a Modern Economy, FENG) - the team consisting of Dr. Eng. Witold Rządkowski (Technology Transfer Officer), Damian Szubski, M.Sc. Eng. (Business Leader), and Jan Tracz, M.Sc. Eng. (Scientific Leader), is developing commercialization process skills and conducting market interviews to establish the specifications and parameters of the future product.

The prosthesis under development stands out with active movement of all fingers and an opposable thumb, allowing for precise, natural grips previously unavailable in most devices of this type. The drive system operates similarly to a human muscle - it is quiet, energy-efficient, and enables smooth hand movement. Instead of rigid joints, flexible mechanisms mimicking human joints are used, providing children with greater freedom of movement and a natural feel.

In the near future, market interviews with stakeholders are planned to compile a list of key requirements for the prosthesis. This will be followed by a pilot acceptability test involving end-users.

The greatest challenge lies in pairing high innovation with an affordable price tag so that the prosthesis can become widely accessible through reimbursement programs - particularly in countries where purchasing a bionic prosthesis was previously financially out of reach.

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PRIME is the only "tailor-made" acceleration program for the transfer of knowledge and technology for scientists and their research organizations in Poland, offering support for an individual commercialization path for innovative products. The program provides the opportunity to both develop competencies (e.g., training) and acquire practical skills (e.g., talks with potential recipients). For the authors of the best ideas, individualized support is provided to implement the chosen commercialization path. The PRIME project is financed by the European Funds for a Modern Economy (#FENG) program. The project is implemented by the Foundation for Polish Science (#FNP).