Design Ignites Change - Projects - The Prosthetics Project

School of Visual Arts

Throughout 10 weeks, this design project was humbling, daunting, and thrilling in its ability to demonstrate the power of design, and the potential for design thinking and creativity to impact the long-neglected problem of designing a better prosthetic arm.

The Prosthetics Project
MFA Designer as Author program

Dohun Park's “Hands of Wisdom” were inspired by the 'Mudra' hands that are used in Yoga

Helga Schmid & Bronson Stamp's awareness project “Looking Longer”

Tonya Douraghy's decorative feather cuff

Meital Gueta's discursive project “Body Image”

Matthew Heckart repurposed a backpack strap for a prosthetic arm

During the fall semester of 2009, 21 students in the MFA Designer as Author program attempted to put a dent in what may arguably be one of the most daunting design challenges imaginable—to design a better prosthetic arm.

The students took different approaches to the problem: some attacked it directly with mechanical improvements while others took a more abstract approach, creating formal, often sculptural, gestures as a way to help us think about the notion of ‘prosthetic’. See all 24 projects on the Prosthetics Project website.

The Prosthetics Project

School of Visual Arts

Contact

Connect to Design Ignites Change