Prosthetics continue to make major news in the 3D printing community, and the next wave integrates robotics thanks to the crowd-source-funded 
Ever the perfectionist, Joel hopes to continue improving his design and application in the future. One area that he sees design potential is with robotic prosthetics for children. Daniel expressed his regret that he did not have an affordable option or design that helped emotionally with his condition. He lamented, “This is great now and it will continue to get better but it would have been amazing to have this when I was younger. I would have loved a 3D printed Power Ranger hand. It would have made me feel better about my difference, I think. There are robotic hands out there that I can buy now but they’re more expensive than my car. Who can afford that?”
This is precisely the issue Open Bionics hopes to address. Their process and ability aims to curb costs and allow a larger customer base the opportunity to take advantage of 3D printed robotic prosthetics. With this revolutionary step forward, it is no wonder Open Bionics, based out of Bristol Robotics Laboratory, is one of the leading centers for robotics in the world and shortlisted for Tech Awards. The schedule to have their prosthetic on the market by next year certainly inspires hope and excitement for all those potentially affected by their innovation.
