IPT Open Socket Technology

Problem being addressed

Prosthetic devices are difficult to come by in developing countries because of the cost, fitting procedures, and rough conditions of low-resource settings. Disabilities carry a larger burden for those in developing countries because disabled individuals are rendered immobile, unable to work, and may be considered burdensome to their already socioeconomically constrained families.

Detailed description of the solution

The OpenSocket prosthetic arm offers an inexpensive and effective prosthetic option for below-elbow amputees in developing country settings because it is highly-functional, robust, and easily fit to new patients. Prosthetic arms can be removed from the shelf and fitted to individuals within minutes. Furthermore, arms can be easily manufactured in various sizes and have adjustable lengths, diameters, and contours so that amputees can adjust it themselves. These devices require minimal training to be fitted, adjusted, and maintained. The design deviates from the traditional custom fit model and is made with the conditions of developing countries in mind.

Relevance to developing country settings

Clinical trials have been conducted in Guatemala and are soon to be conducted in India.

Designed by

• Design: Adam Booher, President and Co-founder. Ehsan Noursalehi, Creative Director and Co-founder. Jonathan J. Naber, Founder and Field Director.
• Manufacturer: Bump Nonprofit Design Studio
• Manufacturer location: Champaign, Illinois, USA

Funding Source

This project has received funding from the Lemelson-MIT Program of the Intercollegiate Studies Institute at MIT, as well as the Office of Public Engagement at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Bump has also been funded by the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance, the Simon Fellowship for Nobel Purpose, Private Donors, and Rotary Clubs in the United States and Central America.

References

Internally generated reports

Alhberg, L. (2010, Nov. 18) Small group of engineers makes huge impact on amputees. "News Bureau Illinois". Link available here.

Engineering at Illinois. (n.d.) Real World Testing Connects Prototypes to People [Brochure]. PDF available here.

IPT. (n.d.) Introducing the Open Socket Arm. Link available here.

Externally generated reports

Dodson, D. (2012, February 3). "Prosthetic arm project expanding." The News Gazette. Link available here.

Fairley, M. (2011, May). "From Academia to the Developing World: Student Engineers Create Collaborative Technologies." The O&P EDGE. Link available here.

Greenmeier, L. (2010, March 3). "Next-Gen Scientists Honored for Evolving Medicine and Renewables." Scientific American. Link available here.

"Students Win $30K for Socketless Prosthesis." (2010, March 11). The O&P EDGE. Link available here.