The Youbionic Hand affordable prosthetic project was one of the first to introduce 3D printing as a method for producing a high quality prosthetic hand. It has evolved over the past few years, from the very first version of the project which made use of laser sintering.
The latest version that Federico Ciccarese – the engineer behind the project – and his team presented has been adapted to filament extrusion technology giving everyone the opportunity to create their own after acquiring the files.
“After you get the files – Federico explains – you can print your Hand right away or you can decide to modify it to your liking, perhaps to make it more personal with a name or drawing, you can change the size to make it a little bigger or a little smaller. Or even you can improve it to get new moves or special catches. Limits do not exist, plenty of room for dreams.”
The team at Youbionic have completely redesigned the mechanical elements, so now the Hand is more resistant to the efforts during operation. They’ve modified the project parameters to uplift the strength it manages to exert, so it’s ready for most everyday exercises, such as lifting objects, tightening handles, and then interacting with the outside world as a biological hand.
Another unique feature of Youbionic Hand is its modularity, where each finger is stand-alone and has been designed to be part of alternative configurations. Soon, components will be available that allow different assemblies: you will be able to create three-finger clamps for installations on anthropomorphic robots or wearable human-armored devices.
The currently model is available to buy and download from the Youbionic website for €149. Something nothing short of amazing if you consider the amount of highly professional work that goes into a project like this.
