We recently had the opportunity to sit down with Ed Iversen, lead research and development (R&D) engineer at Fillauer Motion Control, and talk about the changes he has seen in the upper-limb prosthetic device industry since he started working in the field more than 20 years ago. He shared his perspective on industry needs and challenges that he’s witnessed during his career.

Iversen was happy to report that over the last few decades, upper-limb prosthetic devices have become easier to use and more functional for the wearer, though he sees room for improvement. During his time in R&D, he has learned several key requirements to create functional, comfortable, and aesthetic devices for people with amputations and limb differences. The most prominent design functions fall into the following categories: waterproof rating, wrist orientation, compliance, hand function, force feedback, and outcome measures.