Innovation in prosthetics is open to anyone looking to enhance the quality of life, but there’s an aspect of it that is sometimes under-served. The DIY Prosthetic Socket entry to the Hackaday Prize is all about the foundation of a useful prosthesis: a custom, form-fitting, and effective socket with a useful interface for attaching other hardware. While [atharvshringaregt] is also involved with a project for a high-tech robotic hand with meaningful feedback, socket fitting and design is important enough to be its own project.
The goal is not just to explore creating these essential parts in a way that’s accessible and affordable to all, but to have them include a self-contained rechargeable power supply that can power attachments. Thoughtful strap placement and a power supply design that uses readily available components with a 3D printed battery housing makes this DIY prosthetic socket a useful piece of design that keeps in mind the importance of comfort and fitting when it comes to prosthetics; even the fanciest robot hand isn’t much good otherwise.
Since absolutely *nobody* is commenting on this, even though they really ought to be…
This is cooler than a bare-handed fistful of dry ice, and I’m highly impressed.
I never would have suspected that a prosthetic needed a power supply of some sort, until a teacher friend of mine had trouble one evening because his leg had a dead battery — he had to borrow an IPad charger and USB cable to get a quick boost so he could walk into the classroom without upsetting the students.
Of course, the hacker in me wanted to disassemble his leg so I could see what kind of battery pack he was using, but that might have been impolite.
Something tells me a robotic society and hackers wouldn’t mix well. Johnny 5 would have a bunch of hackers armed with screwdrivers chasing him around.