Nothing frustrates Eythor Bender more than a medical breakthrough that only the elite have access to. His new San Francisco-based company, Unyq, uses 3-D printers to create fantastical prosthetic designs that are entirely symmetrical to the user’s sound limb (that in itself is unprecedented), at prices insurance will cover. Sure, seeing his bionics on the New York Fashion Week runway was one heck of a pat on the back, but Bender prefers the accolades he hears every day. “People tell me it feels like they’ve got their legs back for the first time in their lives,” he says. “That’s really something.” We talked with Bender about his medical breakthrough and to see what’s coming up next. PVN: Before Unyq, you used to develop high-tech prosthetics for soldiers and paralympians. What made you make the switch?Bender: When we started working with amputees 20 years ago, it made sense to work with the high profile ones, the Olympians and athletes, because they became the inspiration for many other amputees. But it started to really frustrate me that we were not reaching out to the average amputee enough. And so in the last few years I’ve been focusing on them, knowing that conditions like diabetes and cancer are one of the main reason for amputations across the globe. They should be able to stand up and walk around their home comfortably, especially because there are so many unhealthy factors tied to sitting all the time. What are the biggest problems with current prosthetics technology?Amputees due to diabetes make up about 82% of the market, and yet we still try to use the components we use for athletes on normal people—but someone who’s running needs a completely different type of mobility system than someone who just needs to get through the day. So what do they do? They don’t wear them. Medicare and insurance companies are supposed to pay for them, but they can cost amputees between $30,000 and $50,000. If you need a bionic joint for a knee or an ankle, it can easily be over $100,000. And since they don’t work as well, you have everyday people shelling out hundreds of thousands of dollars for something they end up not using. How does 3-D printing help with this issue?The benefits are two-fold: From a user perspective, each amputee gets something that is truly customized to them. We take a digital map of your sound leg and replace those typical foam or skin-colored silicone leg covers with a fully symmetrical leg. This is important because it’s always awkward for amputees to walk around, and their clothing often gets ripped. The prices also go down dramatically because 3-D printing is going down in price itself. We hope to place 3-D printers in different parts of the world, even in individual clinics, where it can just be printed right there for you. It eliminates crazy shipping costs along with that constant back-and-forth for fit and design, which is a huge issue for amputees. It also means the users can collaborate with people locally to design something more meaningful for them. Photo courtesy of Unyq What makes this a medical breakthrough?The price. For me, a breakthrough isn’t a breakthrough unless it reaches out to people in a way that makes sense and is affordable, and that’s why we put a lot of pressure on keeping these prices down. Nothing frustrates me more than doing breakthroughs that people cannot afford. It’s like a teaser. You show people that this is the future and then you take it away from them. I had that experience working with the $450,000 exoskeletons. You can get a Unyq cover for between $495 and $995, within range for reimbursement from insurance companies. Model Alex Minsky wore one of your designs down the runway at New York Fashion Week. Why is style so important in this arena?Why shouldn’t prosthetics be about style and fashion? At the end of the day, it’s your leg! The emotional burden of losing a limb is huge. If we can help at least make sure they look nice, have something that fits their personality, then that’s something we’re pushing through Unyq. The message is still about health and prevention, but it also helps people feel better about themselves. What’s up next for Unyq?We’re hoping to push the prices down even further. We want to develop a larger range of products, including foot covers and options for upper extremities. Really, we want to create a complete line for any “unyq-ness.” That’s our vision—not to leave anyone out. MORE: 2 Ways Your Own Blood Could Be The Pain Cure You’ve Been Waiting For
