Clubs 101: Accessible Prosthetics Initiative

Growing up, Jesse Martin ’26 couldn’t easily pick up a big mixing bowl when helping in the kitchen or pull along a suitcase during a family vacation. 

Born with amniotic band syndrome, nearly all her fingers are shortened, making it tough to grip large objects or exert much force. Though her family looked into getting her prosthetics when she was a teen, it was “insanely expensive”—so she learned to adapt without them. 

Now, as president of the Accessible Prosthetics Initiative, a student organization at the University of Maryland, she’s leading efforts to build low-cost, 3D-printed limbs and digits. 

“I’ve heard all the frustrations” during years of summer camp with fellow amputees, said Martin, such as about the lack of insurance coverage and high cost of commercially available prosthetics. “When I found out this club existed, I was really excited because it connected with my personal life experiences and values, and I want to do something health- and service-related.”

Last year, the club received a $5,000 Do Good Campus Fund grant, part of which it put toward two new 3D printers, which will speed up the students’ prototyping efforts. “Getting the printers and other materials is going to set us up for success for many years down the line,” said Martin. 

How it got started: The UMD chapter of the national organization was formed in 2020, as a group of bioengineering majors sought to apply their skills in the real world. Now, the club has grown to about 25 members, divided into three engineering teams that design, print and assemble prosthetics, as well as advocacy and business roles. 

When it meets: Every Tuesday from 5-7 p.m. in the Leidos Innovation Lab in A. James Clark Hall. It’s informal; members trickle in as they have time, and each team works independently on its projects. 

What it does: The myo-electric team, currently developing a prosthetic arm, uses sensors on different body parts and translates that into code to program a prosthetic to move. “Whether your hand is there or not, your brain is still sending signals to it, so we can harness those signals,” said Vice President Avi Patel ’27, a computer engineering major. 

The body power team takes a more physical approach, harnessing the power of a shoulder, for example, and connecting it to move a prosthetic forearm. Those students are working on a finger—one of the least-researched types of prosthetics. “I’m happy to share my lived experience,” said Martin, who shared with the team how amputated fingers tend to grow thicker, guiding them in designing a device that will fit comfortably. “It’s small insights like that that can make a difference.” 

The lower limb team (which meets on Thursdays) is developing a child’s leg prosthetic for a below-the-knee amputee that can be adjusted with growth. Kids often go without because of the prohibitive cost of upgrading every year or more, said Patel. 

Once the teams’ designs are further long, most likely in the fall, the club plans to connect with amputees to get additional feedback and potentially test their devices.

Who can join: Though most members are STEM majors, anyone with an interest can come check it out (Martin is a sociology major, for example). Team leads are happy to teach technical skills like CAD software, and students can contribute in many other ways, from researching the best materials to mimic the feel of a real limb to educating the public. Passion is key: “Movement has always been really comforting and empowering for me,” said mechanical engineering major Carys Sears ’29, a former ballet dancer. “So being able to bring that back to someone who lost that ability, I would be really grateful to do that.” 

Fun traditions: In addition to meeting weekly, members sometime visit community centers or K-12 schools to teach people about prosthetics and advocate for more affordable options. They bring their unofficial mascot, “Agatha,” a 3D-printed prosthetic arm, to demonstrate their work. 

For their final meeting each semester, they have “Denny’s De-stressor Night,” where they head to the diner on Baltimore Avenue to chow down and chill out before finals. Why that spot? “It has a server robot!” said Martin. 

This is an occasional series highlighting interesting UMD student clubs. Have a suggestion for one to feature? Email kshih@umd.edu.