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March 4, 2019

“The sense of hustle is back” says Open Bionics

The Bristol-based company that makes bionic arms for amputees raised $4.6m in January. Now it is planning to take on the US.


Maija Palmer

3 min read

Open Bionics, the Bristol-based company that makes bionic arms for amputees, raised $4.6m  in January in a Series-A round led by the investment arm of Formula One’s Williams Advanced Engineering group. Open Bionics makes lightweight, 3D-printed arms and has gained attention for making superhero-themed prostheses based on Star Wars, Disney and Marvel characters. The arms, which are operated through a series of small controls in the socket, are the only ones affordable enough to be covered by the UK’s National Health Service.

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Open Bionics currently works out of a small workshop at the University of the West of England robotics lab, but is searching for bigger production facilities.
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An early prototype
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The Hero Arm comes with swappable covers with styles from Disney, Marvel and Star Wars.
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