RAEng-backed soft prosthetic gets medical greenlight

Mitt Wearables’ prosthetic arm is soft and adaptable, making it a user-friendly and affordable option for children, who rapidly outgrow standard prosthetics and are often not offered them as a result. In comparison to traditional prosthetic limbs that can cost several thousand pounds, each ‘Mitt’ will cost less than £500. The design is based on sportswear that is lightweight, comfortable and easy to put on.

“Listening to users, there is a clear need for affordable, comfortable and functional prostheses that can help people continue to do whatever it is they are passionate about – whether that’s cooking, painting, using an iPad, drumming, or any number of specific tasks,” said company co-founder Ben Lakey.

“Traditional prosthetic arms are not only expensive but tend to be heavy and uncomfortable to wear. We’ve taken a very different route with Mitt. Instead of trying to mimic a hand, we’ve created an arm and a range of simple tools that can be attached and swapped as required. And the feedback we’re receiving has been just amazing.