The “Maker” culture has taken root in Hong Kong in recent years. These makers, equally enthusiastic about technologies and their application, often have various interests and strong suits. Among them are several who demonstrate particular concern for people with hand disabilities. Utilising their knowledge and skills in leisure time, these makers endeavour to produce 3D-printed prosthetics that meet the needs of these disabled people, hoping to help them cope in everyday life. As every user faces different problems, makers have to think from the users’ perspectives and understand their needs before making prosthetics.
Although 3D-printed prosthetics are not exactly health products, they do offer an alternative for the hand disabled and benefit those in need. These makers also connect with non-governmental organisations in West Africa. After a “Hand Assembling” event in Hong Kong that engages the public in producing prosthetics, the products are then transported to West Africa as gifts for the needy.
In the meantime, Mike, the originator of this campaign, takes the initiative to collaborate with schools while promoting the idea of 3D-printed prosthetics. Through complementing the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) curriculum of secondary schools, the campaign enables students to make prosthetics, thereby sowing the seeds of research, with the hope of seeing more inventions that bring convenience to the physically challenged. As such, “social inclusion” will be more than a slogan, but a goal that everyone contributes to.
近年創客(Maker)文化在香港落地生根，這些酷愛科技又熱衷實踐的創客，往往有不同興趣與所長。當中幾位特別關注手部傷殘人士的創客，運用自己的知識及技能，在業餘時間勞心勞力，打造符合手部傷殘人士需要的3D打印義肢，輔助他們應付生活細節。創客們面對各個用家的不同問題，亦能嘗試代入對方，先了解其需要而進行義肢製作。
3D打印義肢並非醫療產品，但為手部傷殘人士帶來多一個選擇，希望有需要人士都運用得到。他們更與西非的NGO連繫，先在港舉辦砌手活動，讓公眾參與製作，再把成品運到西非贈予有需要人士使用。
計劃創辦人Mike亦積極與學校合作，配合STEM課程，讓學生參與其中，將3D打印義肢概念推廣開去，埋下研究新發明的種子，期望將來有更多符合殘疾人士需要的發明出現，讓「共融社會」不只停留在一個口號，而是更多人可以自己動手製造。
