In this latest episode, we are joined by Dr Appolinaire Etoundi, Senior Lecturer and Researcher in Mechatronics at UWE Bristol. From pioneering low-cost prosthetic legs to developing AI-driven assistive devices, Appolinaire is reshaping how technology intersects with healthcare and his vision to create a centre that uses AI, 3D scanning and printing to tailor affordable prosthetics in real time is captivating.

The driving force for the vision is entirely user-centred - a career shift motivated by being challenged by a gold medal winning Para Olympian to consider making joints for people rather than robots... His mission is to design technology that empowers and not excludes.

Interesting fact: The temperature in a prosthetic leg socket can reach 47-49 Celsius after 90 minutes of walking! There is so much to be done to improve this and many other aspects of living with prosthetics.

Useful links:

Appolinaire’s university profile: https://people.uwe.ac.uk/Person/AppolinaireEtoundi

Cybathlon 2024: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLbl2Q1xGuA

Bristol Centre for Enablement: https://www.nbt.nhs.uk/bristol-centre-enablement

Selected publications:

Bio-Inspired Knee Joint: Trends in the Hardware Systems Development https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/robotics-and-ai/articles/10.3389/frobt.2021.613574/full

Experimental Verification of Kinematics and Kinetics in a Biomimetic Bipedal Robot https://asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/mechanismsrobotics/article/15/1/014503/1140488/Experimental-Verification-of-Kinematics-and

The Anthro-Thumb: a biomimetic hybrid soft robotic carpometacarpal saddle joint for the thumb, Frontiers in Robotics and AI https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/robotics-and-ai/articles/10.3389/frobt.2025.1496073/full