Touch Bionics, developer of the
world’s first commercially available bionic hand, announced today
that the team behind the development of the i-LIMB Hand has won the
2008 Royal Academy of Engineering MacRobert Award, the UK's premier
award for innovation in engineering.
Last night, Touch Bionics’ i-LIMB Hand was announced as the overall
winner of the 2008 MacRobert Award at the Academy’s Annual Awards
Dinner in London, beating out innovations from three other finalist
companies.
The MacRobert Award, first presented in 1969, recognises the
successful development of innovative ideas in engineering. It seeks
to demonstrate the importance of engineering and the role of
engineers and scientists in contributing to national prosperity and
international prestige.
“We are over the moon to have won the 2008 MacRobert Award, which is
a huge honour for any engineering-oriented company,” said Touch
Bionics CEO Stuart Mead. “To be selected ahead of three other
excellent innovations is a real testament to the tremendous level of
hard work and incredible engineering skill that has gone into the
development of the i-LIMB Hand.”
Launched in 2007, the i-LIMB Hand is a first-to-market prosthetic
device with five individually powered digits. With over 20 years of
research and development behind it, the i-LIMB Hand looks and acts
like a real human hand and represents a generational advance in
bionics and patient care. Since the launch, more than 250 patients
worldwide have been fitted and Touch Bionics is rapidly expanding
across the globe.
The key innovation behind Touch Bionics’ i-LIMB Hand is the
multi-articulating finger technology, which has underpinned the
product’s resounding commercial success since its launch. The i-LIMB
Hand is developed using leading-edge electronic and mechanical
engineering techniques and is manufactured using high-strength
plastics. The result is a next-generation prosthetic device that is
lightweight, robust and highly appealing to both patients and
healthcare professionals.
Originally founded by the MacRobert Trusts, the Award is now
presented by The Royal Academy of Engineering, a prize fund having
been established with donations from the MacRobert Trusts, The Royal
Academy of Engineering and British industry.
High resolution product shots available for media use at: http://www.touchbionics.com/professionals.php?pageid=71�ion=10
About Touch Bionics
Touch Bionics is a leading developer of advanced upper-limb
prosthetics. In 2007, Touch Bionics brought to market the i-LIMB
Hand, a first-to-market prosthetic device with five individually
powered digits. The company continues to develop leading-edge
technologies for the treatment of patients with upper-limb
deficiencies. For more information, visit www.touchbionics.com
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