Solutions from Ukraine: Ukrainian startup develops affordable finger prostheses for war veterans
Photo: vctr.media
Dotyk Fingers is a new Ukrainian startup that creates 3D-printed mechanical prostheses for people with partial finger amputations. The company uses 3D printing and artificial intelligence technologies to make the ordering process as simple and accessible as possible.
The CEO of the startup, Oleksandr Ternovy, reports that, according to Vector Media.
What is the problem?
According to the initiative's founder, Oleksandr, the motivation for establishing the startup arose while volunteering in Germany during the summer of 2023. Oleksandr assisted injured Ukrainian veterans who required prosthetics.
"Faced with bureaucracy and refusals [of German – ed.] insurance companies to provide finger prostheses, I noticed that even residents could not receive such assistance, although the German medical system is considered one of the best in the world. Regardless of age, physical shape, or even plans to stay in Germany, patients did not have access to functional solutions for their fingers," he emphasized.
What is the solution?
Therefore, as Ternovy emphasized, he decided to launch his project that would solve this problem:
"Having learned about the initiative through the IT community in Berlin, Yevheniy Mashkov decided to join. The development began in June 2024. In less than half a year, we developed the first finger prosthesis that replaces the distal (first) phalanx. It was a complex process that required more than 100 iterations."
The startup's main goal is to make prostheses affordable by reducing their cost through the localization of production and automation.
How does it work?
Unlike expensive solutions on the market (from 3,000 to 17,000 euros), the Dotyk Fingers team offers a product at significantly lower prices.
Currently, the startup is also working on including its prostheses in the register of medicines of Ukraine so that patients can receive them at the expense of state programs.
Photo: vctr.media
Dotyk Fingers offers customers a simple and clear ordering process:
- The user sends a photo of their hand with a 10 hryvnia coin.
- Using AI, the team determines the exact parameters for manufacturing the prosthesis.
- The client receives a test prototype to check the size, and if everything fits, the final nylon prosthesis is manufactured.
Photo: vctr.media
The products are aimed at veterans and manual workers who need functional solutions at a reasonable price.
It is noted that in the team, Oleksandr is responsible for marketing, sales, and customer service, while Yevhen deals with technical solutions and regulatory issues:
"We also cooperate with consultants in various industries. We are currently looking for industrial designers who could join our team and help develop solutions for all types of amputations."
Photo: vctr.media
The founders launched a basic landing page advertising their finger prosthetic offer. Within two weeks, Oleksandr says they received over 30 applications from interested individuals and provided the product to over ten users.
Initially, the founders invested 25,000 euros of their own funds in the project. Now, they plan to attract pre-seed investments of 75,000 euros to accelerate the development of new products, particularly prostheses for the proximal phalanx.
Future goals include product certification for the EU market, expanding the range, and ensuring access to functional prostheses for people worldwide.
