Kids and their 3D-printed fingers (pictures)

Robohand is a simple, 3D-printed prosthesis for people who don't have fingers. As an open-source and crowdfunding project, it's helping people for little or no cost.

Tim Hornyak

May 31, 2013 12:09 p.m. PT

1 of 5

Robohand

Liam

Liam, a 5-year-old South African boy, was born without fingers on his right hand due to amniotic band syndrome. But with the help of his own 3D-printed fingers, he can perform precise movements like picking up coins.

Richard van As, who lost his own fingers in an accident, developed the 3D-printed prosthesis called Robohand.

"I can pick up stuff," Liam says in a Robohand video. "I can throw a ball."

The subject of an Indiegogo fundraising campaign, Robohand has so far helped four children in South Africa.

2 of 5

Robohand

Dylan

Dylan, who also lacks fingers on his right hand, flexes his 3D-printed Robohand digits.

"I'm excited to try cricket, golf, and go swimming with it," he says.

3 of 5

Robohand

Eden

Eden, who received her own pink Robohand, holds a ball in her right hand for the first time.

4 of 5

Robohand

Plastic appendages

Robohand consists of a gauntlet, hand cap, and fingers 3D-printed on a MakerBot Replicator 2. It has simple functionality: when the wrist is bent, a series of cables retracts the digits, allowing the user to grasp objects.