Colombian Designer Wins 2026 James Dyson Award With Prosthetic Socket
Pereira designer Laura Echeverri Giraldo won the 2026 James Dyson Award Colombia with Encaja, a system designed to reduce production costs and simplify the fabrication of personalized upper-limb prosthetic sockets. The project uses a smartphone to capture the shape of a person’s residual limb, then combines 3D scanning, generative design and digital manufacturing to create […]
Colombian designer Laura Echeverri Giraldo has won the 2026 James Dyson Award for her innovative prosthetic socket system called Encaja. Her project utilizes 3D printing technology to simplify the production of personalized upper-limb prosthetic sockets, reducing costs and making fabrication more accessible.
The inspiration for Encaja stemmed from a girl born without an arm who aspired to play the piano. This personal connection motivated Echeverri to focus on creating a solution for the prosthetic socket, which is a critical component connecting the prosthetic device to the user's body.
During her research, Echeverri discovered that custom prosthetics often face challenges due to poorly fitted sockets, causing discomfort for users. Traditional custom manufacturing methods require significant labor and time from certified prosthetists.
Encaja addresses these issues by digitizing the entire process, starting with the user placing markers on their residual limb and capturing a 3D scan using a smartphone. An algorithm then generates a custom socket tailored to the individual's anatomy while considering pressure points. The modular design features a removable foam liner and a universal connector for interchangeable tools.
Encaja's modular approach allows users to adapt the socket and its accessories to various activities without needing to replace the entire system. During testing, Echeverri developed attachments such as a fork, demonstrating the practicality of the modular design in everyday use.
Written by urgent.news from Colombia One's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
