RIT Team Uses 3D Printing and Bioprinting to Build Smarter Prosthetics

A smarter prosthetic finger

Researchers at Rochester Institute of Technology built a prosthetic finger that combines four functions into one structure: flexible support, touch sensing, electrical feedback, and biocompatible 3D-printed skin.

The work spans both the Rochester and Dubai campuses. Four faculty members contributed expertise in hybrid materials, electromechanical systems, mechanical design, and bioprinting. The result is a finger that feels more like a body part and less like a tool.

How it works

The team printed the outer structure from a biodegradable thermoplastic mixed with heat-resistant silicone. The mixture gives the finger both strength and give, so it can grip without feeling rigid. Smart sensors embedded in the material use piezoelectric principles to detect pressure and temperature, giving the wearer a sense of touch.

Bioprinting techniques laid down the skin layer in a way that keeps the tactile sensors functional. The layers are thin enough to respond to light contact, but tough enough to survive daily use.

Why it matters

Most prosthetics separate function from feeling. A hook can grip, but it cannot tell you what it is holding. This RIT prototype tries to close that gap by making sensing part of the structure instead of an add-on.

The approach is not ready for clinics yet. The researchers published their findings in the Journal of Manufacturing and Materials Processing and are now working on durability tests and scaling the method to full hands.

What is next

The team wants to move from a single finger to a complete hand with independent finger movement. They are also exploring materials that can withstand outdoor temperatures and moisture, which remain weak spots in current prosthetics.