Carpenter uses 3D printing to manufacture cut-price ‘Robohands’

A South African carpenter who lost four fingers on a circular saw has built his own cut-price prosthetic replacement using 3D printing.

Richard Van As decided to create his own hand after seeing an online video of a mechanical hand made for a theatre production by designer Ivan Owen in Seattle.

Together they invented Robohand — a device made from cables, screws, 3D printing and thermoplastic. It uses the rotation of a joint to enable five plastic digits to grasp. It looks like a science fiction robot’s hand, costs about $500 (€377) to make and can be reproduced using plans on the internet and a 3D printer.