Give Her a 3D-Printed Right Hand: Open-Source, Affordable Bionic Prosthesis Initiative Launches with IPO Filing

Most of us have a dominant hand that we habitually use. Approximately 90% of the world’s population is right-handed. The frequency with which the right hand is used in daily life can even create the impression that the left hand is nearly useless, as we are trained from childhood to use our right hand for writing, throwing, cooking, and even gesturing. (As a naturally left-handed editor, I’m moved to tears upon reading this...)



Malaysian artist and graphic designer EI Chi (let’s just call her “Zhi”) has personally demonstrated how much one can accomplish with only one hand to rely on. Yet, she too has her own struggles.

Born with phocomelia, Zhi has only a left hand. This means that to achieve the same outcomes as her peers with two fully functional hands, she needs to learn additional strategies for completing tasks. Throughout her upbringing, Zhi mastered how to tie shoelaces, apply nail polish, and put on a watch using just one hand. Because she had so successfully used her right hand to compensate for the limitations caused by the absence of the other, it was hard to imagine that she would ever need a prosthetic limb. However, one incident changed her perspective: an injury to her right wrist rendered it completely immobile, confining her quietly at home for an entire week.

“I was truly striving to come to terms with the reality of having only one hand, and I was gradually growing accustomed to using my right hand for everything. Everything seemed to be going well... until I injured my wrist. For an entire week, I was unable to do anything,” Zhi said. “That was the first time I felt distressed about having only one arm. So I began to reflect on how many more things I could accomplish if I had two hands.”

Just as Zhi was feeling disheartened, she met David Drummond, the founder of New Zealand’s “Give Me a Hand” organization. An engineer, inventor, and accomplished race car driver, Drummond has spent much of his life researching how to create higher-quality bionic hands. He hopes to develop open-source, affordable prosthetic devices through his efforts, which can be easily manufactured using 3D printing and low-cost computing platforms such as Raspberry Pi and Arduino.


To fit Zhi with a prosthetic limb, they need her to travel to New Zealand to select a bionic hand suited to her needs, which Drummond affectionately calls “Bob.” He estimates that the entire process will cost $20,000, a price tag that places it out of reach for many ordinary people. Therefore, they are seeking public donations to cover the cost of Zhi’s surgery free of charge.

The organization will use a MakerBot Replicator 3D printer to manufacture bionic hands. Drummond revealed that printing a complete bionic hand will take 48 hours. It will feature numerous functionalities, including flexible finger movements and the ability to grasp objects. Zhi will be the first recipient of this type of bionic prosthesis. As the device operates with considerable independence, moving freely without being affected by other parts of the body, it will provide significant assistance in both Zhi’s professional and personal life. For instance, after the surgery, she will be able to carry a heavy camera and go rock climbing with her companions.

Subsequently, Drummond outlined his plans following the completion of this fundraising round: “After the fundraising concludes, we will remain committed to providing free bionic prosthetics to those in need, while striving to advance our existing technology and releasing it as open-source for public access at no cost.”

The fundraising campaign, hosted by the “Give a little” organization, has raised nearly $1,600 in less than five days. The campaign will continue until November 9, and anyone can donate through this platform. Drummond also plans to use the additional funds to provide a free bionic prosthetic implantation surgery for the next Bob recipient.

Compiled from: http://3dprint.com/101554/ei-chi-hand-3d-printing