It's All About Function
Dmitrii Blium
Story
Over 30,000 people in the United States only suffer a partial or full-finger amputation each year. Two simple everyday household items – doors and power tools – cause the majority of these accidents.
When Colin McDuff lost his finger in a hunting accident in 2010, he used his skills as a welder to fashion a prosthetic finger out of bicycle parts. An avid cycler, McDuff was inspired by bikers in the cycling world. Enterprising athletes have made prosthetic limbs using bicycle shocks.
The prosthetic fingers available on the market were cosmetic only and not functional. McDuff wanted a functioning finger that would allow him to type, hold a coffee mug or even play an instrument. He brought his innovative design to his friend Bob Thompson, and Naked Prosthetics Devices was born.
Technology
A non-motorized device, the prosthetic uses the remainder of an amputee's finger to power the movement.
Available in three variations, to accommodate different levels of amputation, all models restore fundamental grasps while utilizing your existing range of motion, such as:
- Precision (holding a pen)
- Spherical (grasping a doorknob)
- Cylindrical (swinging a hammer)
- Lateral Pinch (rotating a key)
- Hook (carrying a toolbox)
A patient requests a proprietary sizing kit from Naked Prosthetics. Using the sizing rings and photos, NP Devices uses a high-end 3D printer to create a simple, elegant, and fully functional device.
Naked Prosthetics works with physicians, surgeons, and prosthetists to make every prosthetic finger specific to the patient's needs.
Products
Naked Prosthetics has three models of biomechanical prosthetic fingers designed to replace partial or total finger loss.
1. PIPDriver
The PIPDriver is for individuals who have an amputation at the middle of the distal phalanx.
The PIPDriver gets its strength from a rigid linkage driven by the residuum and is self-suspended comfortably on the finger base.
2. MCPDriver
The MCPDriver is for individuals with amputations through the proximal phalanx.
MCPDriver restores the middle and distal phalanges. These body-driven, articulating devices allow patients to regain fine dexterity and natural grip patterns. The MCPDriver excels at restoring pinch, key, cylindrical, and power grasps, as well as grip stability.
The functional force at the fingertip is dependent on the patient's input force. A typical male can achieve 7-9 lb (3-4 kg) force at each fingertip. Additionally, the power hook grasp posture allows patients to lift objects of substantial weight as the load transfers to the suspension about the wrist.
3. ThumbDriver
The thumb is arguably the most important digit of the hand. The loss of a thumb impairs hand function by 40 percent.
The fingers work with the thumb in opposition. The ThumbDriver restores the ability of the hand to make a multitude of opposition grasps by providing interphalangeal joint flexion and tracking of the complex multi-axial motion of the thumb.
Customer support
The company not only manufactures prosthetics. They work individually with their clients to educate them on the use of the devices. They publish user guides, training materials, case studies to empower users in regaining their ability to perform daily tasks, supporting job retention, and encouraging an active lifestyle.
Naked Prosthetics website is full of inspiring stories of people regaining the ability to play guitar, type on the keyboard, drive a car.
Future
Naked Prosthetics is growing with the exploding demand for its innovative product. According to Thurston Talk, they are at the forefront of the prosthetic industry in the US and the world, as very few companies can produce a fully custom prosthetic at a reasonable price.
💡 Article on Thurston Talk
🌐 Naked Prosthetics website