The AI Powered Prosthetic Arm Is Truly A Revolutionary Invention!

.
person.
June 03, 2025
0

Image: AI Prosthetic "Overhead Arm" | Source: ChatGPT

All anyone can say is...
"Why in the world is that guy wearing a tech arm thingy half-wrapped around his head?"
Fair enough, great answer!
But in retrospect, it's the robo-tech arm's creators David Gathu and Moses Kiuna.
And they essentially broke the wall and navigated through into the 5th dimension!
"That's a joke of course..."
Nevertheless, the dynamic-duo created an AI-powered prosthetic arm; and these are self-taught inventors from Kenya, Africa.
Now, the main reason why they created their Robo-tech arm wear, was to help individuals struggling with disabilities to regain their mobility.
Thumbs Up (emoji)
So, this is an outright noble cause on the part of the inventors-which both deserve a BIG THUMBS!
There, however, is the burning question many are dying to know...
"HOW IN THE WORLD DID THEY FIND THE MATERIALS TO BUILT IT!
Well, that is the que to dive into this story deeper, to see the extended plan behind this product Kiuna and Gathu are looking to implicate in the future!

Key Takeaways
  • Two Visionaries Behind Their Prosthetic AI Arm
- They Had to Get Really Creative Working With Literal Scraps!
  • Gathu & Kiuna's Junkyard Shopping List: Construction of the Prosthetic AI Arm
  • How Would Wearers Use the Prosthetic AI Arm?
  • Impact on Innovation: The Purpose Behind the Prosthetic AI Arm
  • Future Prospects of Kiana & Gathu's AI Powered Prosthetic Arm 

Two Visionaries Behind Their Prosthetic AI Arm

First off, David Gathu and Moses Kiuna aren’t your run-of-the-mill tech nerd geniuses.

They are two DIY self-taught Kenyan engineer innovators who saw an opening for an AI sub-niche market opportunity they wanted to capture.

They knew it had to be an "out of the box" idea no one had given a second thought about.

The area of interest revolved around three main aspects...
  • AI
  • Autonomy
  • Prosthetic Arm
Yes. So, they already had in mind the market and demographic target of individuals in mind to pitch their ideas to.

Their AI-powered prosthetic arm wasn’t a quick-fix gadget.

No...

This is a real deal lifeline solution for individuals living with limb disabilities.

And once word got out about their invention, it literally shook the foundations of the world wide web! And what about the lit spark that fired them up, and empowered them to do what they're doing?

A real drive to help people, especially those who can’t shell out hard cold cash for pricey prosthetics.

Working with scavenged electronics, they crafted a slick device that reads neural signals, letting users move the arm like it’s second nature.

Picture a robotic limb that just helps you grab things, powered by clever AI that keeps things smooth and intuitive without any clunky machinery needed! What’s also great about Gathu and Kiuna’s work that it wasn’t just done as a hobby—this was their actual hustle!

They had no funding, or high-tech labs, just pure grit, creativity, and a conviction that they could make a dent!

There's an interesting article at hollowersdwellers.com, that mentions how these two inventors were set on a straightforward mission! [1]

Well... That sounds kinda familiar, for it reminds of the movie "The Blues Brothers," and their tagline motto sounded somewhat similar...

"We're on a mission from God!" [YouTube]

They Had to Get Really Creative Working With Literal Scraps!

There is no shame in using scraps to create a product.

All that matters is that you can actually create it, and later refine it (through funding like "GoFundMe") during the product's transition.

So, that was the scenario here...

Because the extended idea Gathu and Kiuna had in mind was to build prosthetic limbs that are affordable, works well, and people should have access to that technology.

Then came the "brainstorming of ideas" they had in mind using what they had within their mists.

They managed to produce some of their work using a makeshift workshop.

And they had to WORK HARD, relying solely on decent resources, and they were faced with complex tech issues.

Now, that would probably be enough to turn most people off right from the start.

But, then you have to think about other innovators who faced serious-ills when setting out to create their inventions.
  • Thomas Edison: He was almost ready to tear the hair out of his head, trying to find a way to create a lighting system for the Pearl Street Station in 1882.
His bigger plan was to produce a lighting system for a specific area of Manhattan in New York City which he eventually did. 
 
Even so, Thomas went through a number of frustrations and setbacks, and despite all that was thrown his way, he just pressed forward until he eventually prevailed! - [ETHW].
  • Charles Steinmetz: This great inventor hit some serious roadblocks while working on his various theories.
This was especially the case when diving into the tricky issue of hysteresis in alternating current (AC) systems.  
 
Steinmetz was Stuck at Rudolf Eickemeyer’s small shop in Yonkers, New York, and he didn't have a range of measuring instruments to work with which added to his frustrations.
He struggled trying to understand why power levels of electric energy were drastically lost in operating AC motors and generators.
This also points back to the DC systems back in the 1890s, where he ran across more roadblocks, because direct current was the basic source of electricity available back then.
 
On top of that, he didn't have a mathematical formula to work off!
So, what Steinmetz was forced to do was lean deep into intense experimentation, and brain-busting calculations all done within a bare-bones lab.
Nevertheless, he didn't quit, and with his high-level knowledge in math, he eventually figured out the issue and how to correct the matter.  
 
That eventually earned him "The Law of Hysteresis in 1892," and it also lead to the later improvement of AC electric motors built by other inventors such as Nikola Tesla - [Linda Hall]. 
  • Oliver Heaviside: He faced a lot of frustration (especially after foregoing formal education; or skipping school around age 16).
    • But he was very smart and self-taught in the field of electricity and magnetism. He was an innovator who understood important principles of both fields, yet, it was extremely hard for him to gain recognition and credibility because of his lack of schooling. He was systemically shunned by "The Royal Society" (as well as other scientific communities who looked down on his intellectual knowledge and writing skills). But you see, even through all of the rejection he faced, he finally gained recognition in The Royal Society in 1891. What helped him was his ability to figure out how to James Maxwell's insanely difficult mathematical calculations. Although, along the way, he went through truckloads of frustration just to fulfill that dream; that finally came true in the end! Heaviside figured out how to simplify James Maxwell's mathematical equations, that scientists eventually accepted it and was called—"The Kennelly-Heaviside Layer. - [ETHW].
And it's no different for innovators and inventors like Gathu and Kiuna.

It takes one to be stubborn and downright dedicated like people such as them.

They faced a ton of trial and error scenarios, they stayed locked indoors to create; proving that grit and a clear goal can go a long way!

And like past enthusiasts who were determined to create an invention, or gain recognition for an outstanding idea—it eventually pays off in the end!

For Kiuna and Gathu, their dream became a reality in this time of the here and now!

Their prosthetic arm device is now getting global props for being both effective and affordable.

Ultimately, this shows that game-changing worldly ideas are there; it's just up to us to turn them into reality!

Gathu & Kiuna's Junkyard Shopping List: Construction of the Prosthetic AI Arm

Creating a Prosthetic AI Arm with the bare essential resources, is legendary in itself.

This is why David Gathu and Moses Kiuna quickly gained fame and attention literally out of the blue overnight.

Keep in mind, they didn’t simply sketch outlines of the prosthetic arm (even though that's the basic way to start things off).

Nope...

They literally built all of it from junk parts, so forget this is a situation where a high-tech lab with all of the trimmings to go with it-wasn't in the picture at all!

Therefore, all they had were local scrap yards and electronic junk piles to pick what they needed from that was useful.
And when it came to their composed shopping list, well honestly, it was nothing more than pure hustling from Point A to Z and back!

Basically, they were picking up circuit boards from busted radios and old PCs; and the combination of it all led them to create the "AI Brain" housed within the arm.

By the way, that sounds kinda strange, having the brain in an arm, well that's if you're a complete mechanical entity. LOL.

Still... The lengths they had to go to in order to gather the needed materials and parts is very impressive.

Kiuna and Gathu remind me of the YouTube Channel called "Kreosan English," a group of guys who were putting together a speedy e-Bike - [YouTube].

And how they went about it was challenging, which came after they literally let a washing machine beat itself to death just to get its turbine motor!

Once they had all the needed parts, and a bit of applied handy craftsmanship work, and they created their speedster e-Bike.

Now, there were a few other parts Gathu and Kiuna needed to finish creating the arm—checkout the list in the table below.

Component Description
Motors Salvaged from dead appliances like toasters and blenders, enabling precise movement.
Sensors Repurposed from old gaming consoles and machines, allowing the AI to read user responses effectively.
Rechargeable Cells Sourced from discarded gadgets, ensuring affordability and accessibility.
Frame Constructed from lightweight yet durable aluminum, scavenged from old bikes and appliances.
Innovation A creative transformation of discarded materials into an affordable and functional prosthetic, earning global recognition.

It's not just about engineering—it’s about grit, passion, and proving you don’t need a big budget to change lives!

How Would Wearers Use the Prosthetic AI Arm?

Kiuna and Gathu's AI-Powered Prosthetic Arm looked different—yet, quite impressive!

They engineered the arm ergonomically, so when the wearer uses it will feels light-weight, but still powerful enough to hold items such as a cup for drinking.

The device's frame is aluminum-based and durable, they installed it with sensors that was originally repurposed for old school gaming tech parts.

Now, the magic happens as the AI-detector searches for the either user's muscle signals, or physical motion gestures.

From there, the AI-decoder channels in on the wearer’s intent (this is done with the help of a headset receiver) - [rawstory].

So, if they're about grabbing a cup of coffee, well the arm will extend for the cup item (the wearer must walk over to the item in order for it to reach it).
The other parts they used were motors salvaged from old toasters, and the components within certain parts help the arm deliver precise movements,

Users can adjust sensitivity via a straightforward app or even voice cues if the system’s got it—imagine saying “grip stronger” while scrolling on your phone...

It may look a bit insane, but the overall idea is a nice touch!

The arm operates off of rechargeable cells from old scrapped gadgets they found from the scrapyards (and anywhere else).

And the battery cells keep can run for hours per use on a single charge.

Although, users will still need to recharge it for a brief moment; after doing so, they can use it for a number of hours until the next charge session.
Admittingly, the ingenuity of artificial intelligence is the real Brainiac, as it's able to adapt to the wearer’s motions over time.

And like fast learning AIs such as CoPilot, ChatGPT, or Bard, they are capable of figuring out the user's search patterns to the point where it knows them well!


Kinda Too Well... Which Is Somewhat Creepy!

Over time, the AI-decoder within the arm gets sharper, then users can move on to more challenging tasks such self-spoon feeding—to typing with it on a PC! - [rawstory].

Training the arm is said to be moderately hard, but it's still a user-friendly device all the way around which is an ideal thing.

And, of course, when it come down to affordability, well one would think it wouldn't be super expensive.

Surely, Gathu and Kiuna are thinking about selling the product at a cost-efficient price for now.

Although, it's really up to them because it is their product at the end of the day.

Even so, it's just wild how scrapyard treasures can evolve into such a powerhouse product that can change the outlook of society!

Impact on Innovation: The Purpose Behind the Prosthetic AI Arm

People have to understand that it doesn't take hundreds of thousands, or eve millions to create a groundbreaking product.

What cost the most?

It's time and effort...

There's a term called "Saturnian," in which some of you may know; and the story is based upon Roman mythology.

Saturnian is aligned with Saturn, the Roman God of Time. 

He controls time and he to likes place restrictions on an individual to hold them back and teach them a lesson.

Well, that's just how time works with anything in life.

If you want to create something great and next level, then you have to put in the time and effort to achieve—and yes, ditching parties to focus on something groundbreaking.

"That's Saturnian, No Doubt!"

But that's what David Gathu and Moses Kiuna did, weeks on end they sacrificed a lot of time and effort; and now, it's paying off for them. 

And they did all of this with scavenged electronics fuel by a passion to improve lives for those with limb disabilities.

The true game-changer here isn’t just the tech—it’s the possibilities it unlocks. regular prosthetics often cost a fortune and can be a hassle, leaving many folks out of luck. 

But Gathu and Kiuna turned that on its head, crafting a smart, adaptable arm with AI and recycled parts! 

We’re talking affordability, accessibility, and a big win for self-independence.

Their work also makes you rethink what innovation really looks like. 

So, do you really need an enormous budget, or cutting-edge tech to make an impact? 

Nope! 

They did it with creative thinking, problem-solving, and reinforced determination! 

And surely, they have to be focused on the future, and whether or not their invention is scalable remains to be seen. 

In the meantime, they will no doubt add more resources to their repertoire for any future projects they have in mind. 

Gathu and Kiuna’s creation isn’t just a cool project they threw together just for kicks.

It’s actually a sneak peek into a future world where innovation is driven by purpose, and not just for cash!

Want to Learn More About AI-Prosthetic Technology?

Hey, informative reader! 

There's a FREE interesting PDF that covers "AI-Assisted Robotic Prosthetics" —when you get moment go check that out, because there's bound to be more valuable information about this topic matter!

Look within the References section below to learn more about it!
Thank you for your readership!  ðŸ˜„

Tags

You Might Like

Show more
AI

Post a Comment

0Comments

Post a Comment (0)
Share to other apps
Copy Post Link