Our story

Turning disabilities into superpowers

We’re a bionics company developing affordable, assistive devices that enhance the human body. We’ve started by introducing the Hero Arm, a clinically approved 3D printed stylish multi-grip bionic hand. Current upper limb prostheses exist as hooks, grippers, or expensive bionic hands. We’re on a mission to make 3D prosthetics beautiful, functional and more accessible.

Find out more about the Hero Arm

The pioneers

Aged 17, Joel Gibbard began tinkering with robotic hands and 3D prosthetics. There was something about the movement of a disembodied humanoid hand that captured his imagination. Hundreds of prototypes and many crates of failures later, in 2014, Joel co-founded Open Bionics with Samantha Payne. The Open Bionics co-founders were recently named as the 2018 Hottest Startup Founders in Europe, at The Europa Awards. With the help of an awesome team and the support of the limb different community, they’re pioneering a new bionic age inspired by science fiction.

The makers

We’re based in Bristol –  the UK’s best city to live! Our super talented team work closely with a community of Hero Arm users to create devices better suited to their needs. When not hard at work in the lab, our team can be found playing table football, board games, and Mario Kart. Keep up with their antics on Twitter. #TeamOB

Check out our mantelpiece

Over the last few years, we’ve won several coveted awards, including a James Dyson Award for Engineering, a Wired Social Innovation Award, and even a Guinness World Record. In 2017, we picked up the $1 million UAE AI & Robotics International Award for Good, which gave us the momentum to complete development of the Hero Arm. A huge fist-bump to everyone who has supported us so far.

Science fiction becomes reality

At Open Bionics, we turn children with limb differences into bionic heroes and make science fiction a reality. As if cutting-edge bionic arms weren’t cool enough, we’re incredibly fortunate to be working with Disney to develop a range of Hero Arm covers, starting with designs from the Star Wars, Marvel and Frozen universes. We’ve also worked with Eidos-Montreal to bring you super slick Deus Ex covers for the Hero Arm.

World-first clinically approved bionic arm

Open Bionics developed the world’s first clinically approved 3D printed bionic hand for children and adults. We are also proud to have worked with NHS England on the world’s first feasibility study for 3D printed bionics arms.