The Open Hand Project

My names Joel Gibbard and I live in Bristol, UK. Ive been passionate about robotics from an early age and have always been fascinated by technology. Over the years Ive cultivated this passion by building various robotic machines that can walk or fly as well as a full scale, rideable self-balancing scooter . In 2011 I achieved a first class honours... degree in Robotics from the University of Plymouth, UK which was in part, owing to my final year project; to design a low-cost prosthetic hand for upper limb amputees. Following this I spent two years honing my engineering skills working with National Instruments working as an Applications Engineer. I left National Instruments in 2013 to pursue the Open Hand Project. Im driven purely by my passion for robotics but I get a huge amount of satisfaction by trying to apply it a way that can benefit people. Hopefully the Open Hand Project is just the beginning for me and in the future I would like to explore other innovative ways to help people through robotics. It takes more than a proof of concept for a new technology to really make a difference. Without taking things any further my work on the robotic hand would be wasted and people wouldnt benefit from it. Emerging technologies like 3D printing and great free tools like Upverter , Github and Blender have flourished in the last few years. This has enabled inventors and designers to embark on grand projects like this one, without the need for a workforce and a lot of money.Read More