Low-cost, open-source prosthetic designs, made from advanced polymers, become widely available online, fostering a global community of makers and users.

Imagined Future Scenarios

Materials Science, Plausible Futures, Short Term (1 - 3 years)

Scenario Generated from 'LEGO Prosthetic Arm Empowers 8-Year Old with Affordable Accessible Healthcare' - Yanko Design

Future Arc and Implications

Grow Arc

Social Impact: Increased accessibility and social inclusion for people with disabilities leads to greater participation in all aspects of society.

Technological Impact: Continuous advancements in polymer science and 3D printing technologies create increasingly sophisticated and affordable prosthetics.

Ecological Impact: Increased polymer production leads to greater plastic waste and reliance on fossil fuels, exacerbating environmental problems.

Economic Impact: A booming market for prosthetic components and related services fuels economic growth, but strains existing healthcare systems.

Political Impact: Governments struggle to regulate the rapidly evolving prosthetic market and ensure equitable access for all citizens.

Narrative: Prosthetics become ubiquitous, seamlessly integrated into daily life, and constantly evolving in capabilities and customization pushing the boundaries of human augmentation.

Collapse Arc

Social Impact: Supply chain disruptions and economic hardship exacerbate inequalities, limiting access to prosthetics and hindering care for existing users.

Technological Impact: Breakdown of infrastructure and access to resources halts innovation and maintenance, rendering prosthetics increasingly unreliable.

Ecological Impact: Environmental disasters disrupt polymer production and distribution, making prosthetics scarce and causing widespread suffering.

Economic Impact: Economic collapse destroys the market for prosthetics, leaving individuals reliant on increasingly scarce resources and makeshift solutions.

Political Impact: Political instability and conflict divert resources away from healthcare and accessibility programs, further marginalizing people with disabilities.

Narrative: Resource scarcity and societal breakdown leads to a regression in prosthetic technology, forcing individuals to rely on primitive and unreliable replacements.

Discipline Arc

Social Impact: Standardized prosthetics are mass-produced and distributed according to a centralized plan, prioritizing efficiency over individual needs and preferences.

Technological Impact: Research and development are directed towards durable, low-tech, and easily replicable prosthetic designs, emphasizing resilience and functionality.

Ecological Impact: Strict regulations are implemented to control polymer production and waste, promoting sustainable materials and circular economy principles.

Economic Impact: The prosthetic industry is heavily regulated and subsidized, ensuring basic access for all but limiting innovation and consumer choice.

Political Impact: A central authority controls the production, distribution, and maintenance of prosthetics, emphasizing social equity and resource management.

Narrative: Centralized control ensures basic prosthetic access for all, but stifles innovation and individual expression in favor of standardized and utilitarian designs.

Transform Arc

Social Impact: Open-source prosthetic designs empower individuals to create and share personalized solutions, fostering a culture of collaboration and mutual support.

Technological Impact: Bioprinting and regenerative medicine revolutionize prosthetic limbs, offering seamless integration with the human body and restoring lost function.

Ecological Impact: New bio-based polymers and closed-loop manufacturing processes create sustainable prosthetics that minimize environmental impact.

Economic Impact: A decentralized network of local manufacturers and repair shops emerges, democratizing access and creating economic opportunities in underserved communities.

Political Impact: Collaborative governance models and international cooperation facilitate the sharing of knowledge and resources, ensuring equitable access to advanced prosthetic technologies.

Narrative: Biologically integrated prosthetics become commonplace, erasing the line between human and machine and empowering disability communities to reimagine their potential through advanced material science.

Product ideas generated based on this scenario

Prosthetic Personality Kits

Subscription service that allows users to rapidly and easily change the appearance and functionality of their prosthetics with interchangeable, 3D-printed polymer components reflecting current trends or personalized needs. Imagine swapping out your 'everyday' hand for a 'gamer' hand with enhanced grip and haptic feedback, or instantly changing the style to match your outfit.

Augmented Reality Training Programs for Prosthetic Use

A gamified AR experience integrated with advanced prosthetics to provide real-time feedback and personalized training protocols. The system analyzes user movements and provides guidance to optimize prosthetic control, improving dexterity, strength, and coordination while providing a fun, engaging and progressively difficult interface for continuous improvement.

Emergency Prosthetic Repair Kits

A rugged, self-contained kit containing basic tools, recycled polymer stock, and simple instructions for repairing or creating rudimentary prosthetics in resource-scarce situations. Focus on resilience and adaptability, with designs prioritizing durability and utilizing locally available materials when possible.

Open-Source Prosthetic Blueprints and Knowledge Repository

A decentralized, community-maintained database containing accessible prosthetic designs and repair guides, optimized for low-tech fabrication and use across diverse environments. Emphasizes knowledge sharing and adaptive design, ensuring access to critical information even in areas without stable internet access (via community-maintained offline backups).

Standardized Prosthetic Maintenance and Repair Network

A government-funded network of repair centers offering free, standardized maintenance and repair services for government-issued prosthetics. The network employs a common set of tools and training protocols, streamlining the repair process and ensuring consistent quality, reducing waste and focusing on extending the lifespan of existing prosthetics.

Universal Prosthetic Fitting and Adjustment System

A low-cost, modular system incorporating adjustable sockets and attachments that can be rapidly configured to fit a wide range of individuals. The system enables centralized, efficient fitting procedures, minimizing the need for highly customized components and reducing production costs. All materials are bio-degradable, with a focus on compostability.

Bioprinted Regenerative Sleeves

A service offering custom bioprinted 'sleeves' integrated with advanced bio-polymers that promote tissue regeneration at the point of amputation, gradually restoring natural function and sensation. Designed for seamless integration with the existing limb and advanced prosthetics, blurring the line between synthetic and biological and improving comfort and control.

Personalized Neural Interface Training Programs

A suite of adaptive learning programs focusing on training the brain to seamlessly interface with advanced bioprinted or bio-integrated prosthetics. Utilizes neurofeedback, biofeedback, and virtual reality simulations to accelerate learning and improve prosthetic control, enhancing user dexterity and overall quality of life.

Projects inspired by this scenario

What if we could hear the universe breathing through the roots beneath our feet?

Echoes of the Aether: A speculative design project that explores the potential of mycelial networks to act as a sensory interface, connecting terrestrial ecosystems with the subtle rhythms of the cosmos.