The High Tech, Prosthetic Limb that Everyone Can Afford ... and It's Green.

The modern day prosthetic limb is a work of art. Runners using artificial legs can achieve speeds identical to, or in some cases, faster than those of uninjured runners. Prosthetic arms can grasp, retract, and maneuver in ways never before thought possible by an artificial limb.  Watch the returning soldiers who’ve lost a body-part in Iraq, most likely due to an IED.  These aren’t people who want your pity, or your guilt, or your handouts.  These are people with the same pride and self-confidence they had when they left.  These people have retained their humanity because of their training, and in many cases, because their prosthetic limbs have given them back their independence and quality of life.

But, while a state-of-the-art prosthesis can help an injured person regain their dignity, it'll also cost them thousands of dollars.  For the huge amputee populations in developing countries around the world (many due to leftover land mines), the cost is just too high  The materials are simply too expensive, and there’s no system in place for getting the technology out to the needy.  But soon, there may be some real chance for hope.

Gener8 (www.gener8composites.com) is a small company based in Singapore whose major goal is providing affordable, high-quality prosthetic limbs to people in developing countries.  Their own estimates place their first product, the GC-1 Modular Prosthetic Leg, at a price “well below US$500”.  It’s not free, but it’s a fraction of the cost of the other options.

The GC-1 was developed at the Foot Care and Limb Design Center of the Tan Tock Seng Hospital, the 2^nd largest hospital in Singapore.  Though still in the ISO Certification process (International Standards Organization) the design is incredibly strong, and gives the wearer a natural walking/running gate, without having to rely on ultra-expensive materials or manufacturing techniques.

Moreover, Gener8 has been studying ways to make the process and the materials they use much greener since June of last year.  They’ve moved away from the toxic plastic composites to newer, more environmentally sound materials for all their products, including the GC-1. When successful, they will be able to provide their customers with a much-needed product, without having to create tons of non-biodegradable plastic.  

But, their move to the green side is not based solely on their healthy environmental conscious.  They chose to make themselves a part of the eco-economy because they see a future in it, and believe that it will be more profitable in the long run to make all their products from eco-friendly materials.  This goes hand in hand with the same efficiency motto that got them where they are now.  Keeping the process cheap and renewable will allow them to take advantage of the massive market of lower-income people. They’ll continue to succeed because of their environmentalism, not despite it.  In this way, Gener8 will be an example to every young business out there for years to come.