The vast majority of the 8 million people with amputations living in developing countries don't have the means to prosthetics. Aside from the unaffordable price tag, sizing and fitting prosthetics requires multiple visits with professionals at a healthcare center with specialized equipment before taking it home, as well as ongoing technician support to make adjustments as needed. Approximately 80% of this population live in remote, medically underserved areas without ready access to healthcare facilities and rehabilitation services. Low and lower-middle income countries generally lack the funds to expand healthcare budgets to adequately improve infrastructure or subsidize expensive assistive devices, preventing life-improving opportunities to break the cycle of poverty for those who need it most.
Copli Technologies has developed a sleek, durable, cost effective prosthetic leg specially designed for children and adolescents with lower-limb amputation that can be self-fit at home. The socket can be easily molded and re-molded in under an hour using hot water, without medical professionals, training, or special equipment. The prosthetics' dynamic sizing mechanisms allow extension of leg length and have changeable foot sizes so it adapts to grow with the child. It's robust enough to handle harsher environments than conventional prosthetic legs, and costs less than 10% of the price. In addition to users in developing countries, these factors also make it an ideal "secondary" prosthetic for children that can be used in environmental conditions that are not traditionally "prosthetic-friendly," like at the beach or in the water.