Making Prosthetic Limbs More Accessible
Making prostheses accessible to as many users as possible is a consideration manufacturers and prosthetists should take into account, but unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to be. Most high-functioning bionic hands are out of the price range for most ideal candidates. As a result, upper limb amputees are forced to settle for lower functioning prostheses and aren’t getting the freedom and mobility they desire.
We at Aether Biomedical found this to be a major issue - which is why we decided to do something about it. This blog will discuss the accessibility issues that many prosthetic limbs face and how we overcome them with our product, the Zeus.
Limited Accessibility with Bionic Hands
Bionic hands serve as an excellent solution for upper limb amputees. With the right hand, users can regain much of their control and dexterity, similar to before the loss of their hand. As a result, users have to make very few changes or sacrifices to their daily routine.
With a high-functioning prosthetic hand, users can go about their lives as usual, using the multi-articulating hand as a seamless extension of their body. With these capabilities, upper limb amputees can restore the freedom and independence that may have been lost with their hand. As greater autonomy can help users take back control of their lives, it is a crucial component that cannot be overlooked.
That being said, it’s no wonder why so many amputees seek bionic hands as the prosthetic hand of their choice. But, while bionic hands are highly advantageous to users, they aren’t necessarily accessible to everyone. Much like other complex medical devices, multi-articulating hands can be extremely expensive.
Unfortunately, for this reason, many patients that are ideal candidates for bionic hands can’t afford to purchase them, leaving them with a less expensive but lower-functioning hand as their only option. In the past, all available bionic hands were priced at a similar price range, which was too high for most patients. As a result, only the most fortunate of eligible patients could afford to get the prosthesis of their choice, leaving users with little to no hand function.
So, why are multi-articulating hands so expensive? To start, the technology needed for bionic hands is complex, driving the price range up from alternatives such as passive prostheses. Secondly, the materials required to make the hand lightweight and strong can also be expensive, as these materials must protect the internal components of the hand.
Not only has there been a lack of affordable prosthetic options on the market, but there were other financial matters at play as well. Even in areas with well-established reimbursement plans that accepted medical insurance, the cost of high-functioning multi-articulating hands was simply too high for many potential users.
Improving Accessibility with the Zeus
Still, there has to be a way for prosthetists to make the technology and equipment more affordable and accessible to amputees. Fortunately - now there is. When our team at Aether Biomedical set out to make a bionic hand of our own, we realized the injustice of such an issue. After all, what’s the purpose of developing such capable and advanced prosthetic solutions if the people who could benefit from them can’t afford to get them?
We decided that this was a problem that needed to be solved and personally made it our mission to do so. As a result, when the Zeus was born, we ensured that it would be the bionic hand for all - a significant component of that being accessibility and price.
Price
We found that the greatest deterrent to the accessibility of high-functioning prosthetic hands was the price. While multi-articulating hands require advanced technologies and materials for manufacturing, their market price is much higher than necessary, rendering the device inaccessible to most users.
Plus, while there are numerous types of multi-articulating hands available on the market, there is very little range of price points between products. Users essentially had to choose between an expensive option and a more expensive option. This is largely due to the prosthetic device market being so small, giving manufacturers the power in pricing.
We decided to change this with our own product and made an affordable yet extremely high quality and high-functioning bionic hand. The Zeus is less-expensive than alternative bionic hands, but not to worry - we don’t skimp on quality or functionality.
Our product uses advanced signal processing and wireless gain adjustment paired with proportional speed. Such technology allows users to seamlessly transition between a precise and delicate touch and a strong grip. Additionally, we have taken advantage of improvements in additive and 3D manufacturing technology, which have allowed us to completely individualize our own software, ensuring state-of-the-art quality at a reasonable price.
That, combined with its modular construction, results in a quality, robust, and advanced hand. Consequently, users get all of the benefits of the most advanced bionic hands available at an affordable price, ensuring that users of all backgrounds can benefit from the Zeus. Even beyond price, we want to make the Zeus accessible to users all around the world.
The Bionic Hand For All
Our singular goal at Aether Biomedical is to help amputees reach their full potential with the Zeus. To us, this not only means providing them with a high-functioning, multi-articulating bionic hand, built with both strength and precision in mind but also a hand that is accessible to all users. As such, we recognized the importance of offering an advanced yet affordable product to users in need.
With the Zeus, upper limb amputees can finally regain power and autonomy in their lives through two capable and functioning hands. We believe that our product can help users maximize the potential in their lives, and we want everyone to have that option.
If you’re interested in learning more about the Zeus, visit our website.
