A body-powered hand architecture developed around useful grasping, serviceable parts, and fabrication methods that can travel.
Oregon · Open engineering
Prosthetic technology, designed for access.
Olive Tree Lab develops practical, low-cost upper-limb prosthetic systems with open design and local manufacturing in mind.
Current development · articulated hand
Mission
Capability should not depend on geography, supply chains, or an impossible price tag.
We are building toward prosthetic designs that are useful, repairable, and reproducible—especially where conventional devices and specialist support are difficult to access.
In development
One system, built through many focused problems.
Replaceable, flexible surfaces are being explored to improve grip, impact resistance, comfort, and everyday maintainability.
A compact manual mechanism for pronation and supination, with position locking and a path for the control cable.
Internal structure study
How we work
Design for the whole lifecycle.
Open by intention
Designs and documentation are being prepared for public release as the work matures.
Made to be made
We test accessible processes including 3D printing, molding, machining, and composite construction.
Repair is a feature
Modular, replaceable components can reduce downtime and extend the useful life of a device.
Collaborative testing
Progress depends on feedback from fabricators, clinicians, partner organizations, and users.
Built from collaboration
Years of hands-on work with people moving prosthetic access forward.
The work behind Olive Tree Lab has grown through prototyping and collaboration connected with Universal Limbs, Beyond Motion, the e-NABLE community, and the Freedom Flotilla Coalition.
Universal LimbsBeyond Motione-NABLEFreedom Flotilla Coalition
Get involved
Better devices are built together.
Interested in collaborating, testing, fabrication, or supporting the work? We would like to hear from you.
contact@olivetreelab.org