The Indian technology company Vispala has donated a consignment of 3D-printed prosthetic hands, developed by TU Delft, for Ukrainians injured in the war. With the help of a donation from the American IT company Cisco, 350 prosthetic hands were delivered to Ukraine’s capital Kyiv in October.
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According to Gerwin Smit (TU Delft), who designed the prosthetic hand, there has been a shortage of prostheses in the Ukraine for some time, but the number required has greatly increased because of the war. The country urgently needs support to meet the demand. ‘This gesture is a very welcome contribution’, Smit says of the initiative.
The prosthesis, called the 100 Dollar Hand, was created as part of a project funded by NWO’s Veni programme. Roughly 80% of the people who need a prosthetic hand live in countries that do not have the financial resources to buy them. This prosthesis provides a solution for that problem. Smit describes the prosthesis as a ‘reliable, functional artificial hand that is light and easy to operate’. Because it is largely 3D printed, the prosthesis is easy to produce anywhere in the world and is a lot more affordable. When the 100 Dollar Hand was fully developed, the social enterprise Vispala launched its production and brought the prosthesis to market. Since 2021, hundreds of the artificial hands have been manufactured and distributed under the name iGrip.
With the help of the Movendi Foundation, Gerwin is hoping to raise further donations for another gift of prosthetic hands to Ukraine. He also plans to study the experiences of people in that country and in India with the artificial hand in order to use the feedback to improve the prosthesis.
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