About Our Site
This site is designed for students, developers, and makers alike
Here you will find the necessary resources to build a myFive hand. We will provide the minimal amount of information necessary for a basic understanding of how our hand is designed and how it works. Also, we provide more detailed instructions for how to actually assemble a hand, including necessary parts.​
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If all you need is the basics, we recommend you read only the essential information on each page.
If you want more detailed information about our prosthetic, you will find that information as well.
About Our Prosthetic
Our prosthetic is composed of four key systems:
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Design - this includes all physical parts of the prosthetic and their 3D modelling.
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Electronics - This includes the motors, sensors, and the circuit board that are responsible for the functioning of the prosthetic
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Algorithm - This is the brain of the prosthetic, in short it is how the prosthetic knows what to do and when
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Graphic User Interface (GUI) - The GUI is a standalone computer program that communicates with the electronics and allows the user a better understanding of how the algorithm works. This also allows the user to train themselves.
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You can find more information on each in their corresponding pages.
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To build a prosthetic you can access each set of files individually through their corresponding pages, or use the Build a Prosthetic page to access all of the files
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Our goal is to make a cheap and accessible prosthetic. We are working on the boundary of features vs. price while trying to reach as functional, compact, sophisticated, and aesthetically pleasing design as possible. That coupled with our 3D printed (plastic) design means that there are certain limitations in our prosthetic's function. It will not carry heavy weights (no more than a few kilograms, if that) and will not be extremely durable. That being said, if it breaks, you can easily replace the broken part at a low cost. Ease of use is another of our key design principles.
DESIGN PRINCIPLES
Open Source
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Ease of Use and Accessibility
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Low Cost
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Parametric and Customizable
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Lightweight and Comfortable
5.
Can I Use a Prosthetic?
Our prosthetic is NOT right for everyone. Its minimum size is limited by certain features of the design (mostly the electronics components). In addition, the amputee must have enough of a forearm left in order to place the three EMG sensors (electrodes, approximately 5cm length). See the BUILD/USE page for exact requirements
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In addition, the amputee must be able to make distinguishable muscle movements, something that may require physical therapy and usually introductory training with our algorithm, sensors, and GUI.
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Because of the somewhat complex nature of the algorithm and the required ability to perform consistent, distinguishable motions, the prosthetic is likely not appropriate for very small children. We plan to develop a smaller model (likely with one less motor) to accommodate smaller hand sizes.