The Ukrainian project “Steely Touch” has developed affordable mechanical finger prostheses that are ten times cheaper than foreign analogues, Humanitarian Media Hub reports.
The initiative began in 2022 in the basements of Zaporizhzhia, where Oleksandr Letii and Vitalina Yakovlieva volunteered, packing medical supplies for the front. It was there that trust was formed, eventually growing into a joint project. They were later joined by engineer Danylo Osypov from a university in Norway. He spent nearly a year creating the first model, staying in constant contact with the team and fine‑tuning every detail.
The developers deliberately chose a mechanical prosthetic system that does not require electronics and proves far more reliable in everyday use. The design combines titanium alloy and nylon, while medical hypoallergenic silicone is used for skin‑contact elements. The prosthesis can withstand up to 30 kilograms of load and operates through the remaining phalanx of the patient’s finger, which must be at least two centimeters long — this part serves as the natural mechanism for controlling the device.
The first users have already returned to their everyday routines. One of them is an IT specialist who lost two fingers but was able to work at a computer again thanks to the new prostheses. According to Vitalina Yakovlieva, the most powerful moments are not the technological achievements, but the reactions of people who, for the first time in a long while, can hug their child or shake a friend’s hand.
Foreign prostheses cost between six and eight thousand dollars. The Ukrainian design has a production cost of about six hundred. The team intentionally avoids adding commercial markup, believing that accessibility is part of their mission. As the number of hand injuries in Ukraine continues to grow, the need for such solutions is only increasing.
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