Reform
2026
Making Prosthetics Personal Again
I conducted user interviews and co-design sessions to understand how below-the-knee prosthesis users express identity through assistive devices. Then, I co-designed and prototyped a modular prosthetic cover system through iterative CAD modeling, 3D printing, and material exploration.
Overview
Reimagining prosthetics as a medium for identity
Prosthetics are often designed with function in mind, but rarely with identity. Through co-design with below-the-knee prosthesis users and clinicians, our team uncovered a desire for prosthetics that could evolve alongside the people wearing them.
We designed Re:form, a modular prosthetic cover system that enables users to easily swap personalized designs, transforming a traditionally clinical device into something deeply personal.
Problem
Questioning the Clinical Standard
Research
Learning What Identity Means from amputees
We began by speaking directly with below-the-knee prosthesis users and a prosthetist to understand their experiences beyond everyday function. Rather than asking what prosthetics should do, we asked what they should represent, uncovering a deeper need for personalization, ownership, and self-expression.
“It's just another part of me that I want to look nice, like painting my nails”
Interview Participant & Client
Below the Knee Amputee, Model
Ideation
How should users change their covers?
Getting the mechanical nitty gritty
We explored a range of attachment mechanisms, including sliding rails, latches, stoppers, clips, and magnetic systems to even soft materials, evaluating each against three criteria:
ease of use
manufacturing cost
reliability
Many of those concepts either required excessive force, introduced unnecessary complexity, or increased production costs. Through multiple CAD iterations and physical prototypes, we found that a magnet-and-peg mechanism provided the best balance.
Prototype: Prosthetic Leg borrowed from Hanger Clinic
Designing for affordability
Existing prosthetic covers often cost thousands of dollars, making personalization inaccessible for many users. To reduce manufacturing costs without sacrificing customization, we designed the system to be 3D printed, allowing individualized covers to be produced quickly and at a fraction of the cost of commercially available alternatives.
Designs
Every Cover Tells a Different Story
Based on our co-designers…
Note: AI is NOT used to alter the appearance of the product, only the presentation around it
Lessons
Designing With, Not For
Through this senior capstone, designing Re:form challenged me to step beyond my comfort zone as a digital designer. Teaching myself CAD, mechanical design, and rapid prototyping showed me that great product experiences are often shaped by the invisible engineering decisions beneath the surface. I came away with a deeper appreciation for balancing user needs, manufacturability, cost, and usability in every design decision.
