An engineering student born without all his fingers has invented an affordable prosthetic hand that costs less than £20 so he can help others like him.
Luke Cox designed the artificial limb made with a 3D printer for his final-year project and said it could save patients and families thousands of pounds.
The 26-year-old was born with ectrodactyly, a rare congenital condition meaning he is missing several fingers on his right hand.
With prosthetic hands often extremely expensive, the Staffordshire University student was inspired to design an affordable one – and managed to build one for just £19.97.
Cox, from Grantham, Lincolnshire, said: “Top-end prostheses, with electric devices that use muscle signals, can cost around £100,000.
“Even the more basic body-actuated models can be up to about £4,000.”
Affordable Prosthetic Hand Designed for Individuals with Missing Fingers
His creation, which has helped him land a job at Derby-based train manufacturer Alstom after he graduates, can be moulded in hot water to help it fit the size and shape of most hands.
The fingers are also removable, so they can be upgraded to a larger size while the user grows.
He added: “Children have to update their devices two times a year, which is quite expensive and it’s also quite wasteful.
“I’ve designed the prosthesis to have key features, like modularity, which means you can take the fingers off and swap the parts around.
“You’ve got universality, so it should theoretically fit any shape hand, and it’s also made using affordable processes such as 3D printing, so it’s also very cheap.
“If you’ve got one prosthesis, you can have throughout your childhood, that will make a big difference.
“I’ve made something physical that could help people in the real world, and knowing that I’ve made something like that does make me feel quite proud, I suppose.”
“In my research, I found limitations in current prostheses, such as children regularly outgrowing and needing to update their devices.
“Protheses can also be very expensive. For example, top-end prostheses, with electric devices that use muscle signals, can cost around £100,000.
“Even the more basic body actuated models can be up to about £4,000.”
Luke chose vital design features, including universality, modularity, and affordability. The hand is adjustable and has removable fingers.
Luke Cox used his engineering skills to design an affordable prosthetic hand to help others like him. (SWNS)
An engineering student born without any fingers has invented an affordable prosthetic hand that costs less than £20 so he can help others like him.
Students with Missing Fingers Develop Low-Cost Prosthetic Hand
Luke Cox designed the artificial limb – which will be made using a 3D printer – for his graduation project and said it could save patients and families thousands of pounds.
The 26-year-old was born with ectrodactyly, a rare congenital condition that causes him to miss several fingers from his right hand.
With prosthetic hands often being costly, the Staffordshire University student was inspired to design an affordable prosthetic hand – and managed to build one for just £19.97.
Cox was born with ectrodactyly, meaning he’s missing the fingers on his right hand. (SWNS)
From Grantham, Lincolnshire, Cox said: “Top-of-the-range prostheses with electrical devices that use muscle signals can cost around £100,000.”
“Even the simpler body-powered models can cost upwards of £4,000.”
His creation, which got him a job at train manufacturer Alstom in Derby after graduating, can be moulded in hot water to fit the size and shape of most hands.
The fingers are also detachable, so they can be upgraded to larger as the user grows.
The creation has helped the 26-year-old find a job after he graduates. (SWNS)
He added, “Kids have to update their devices twice yearly, which is expensive and wasteful.”
“I designed the prosthesis to have important features, such as modularity, which means you can detach your fingers and swap out the parts.”
“They are universal, so theoretically, they should fit any hand shape. It also uses low-cost processes like 3D printing, which are also very cheap.”
“If you have a prosthesis, you can wear it throughout childhood. It will make a big difference.
“I made something physical that could help people in the real world, and knowing that I made something like that makes me pretty proud, I guess.”
The story goes on
Cox says industry experts have given it “positive feedback, ” he now hopes to develop it further to offer it to patients.
Growing up with a disability made him “determined and persistent.”
“When you know what it’s like to grow up with a disability, you have that empathy,” he said.
“It improved my problem-solving skills as I was forced to learn how to do certain tasks in unconventional ways.”
“I never let that hold me back; I always find a way to move forward.”
