Diego MK-I
Custom-fitted, modular, and EMG-controlled. Diego pairs a lightweight 3D-printed body with a motor-and-linkage drive system, engineered for daily use rather than a showroom.
Status: pre-clinical. Engineering prototypes in active development.
Overview
A hand that fits you, not the other way round.
In development
We are not showing Diego publicly yet.
The hand is in active development, and we would rather show you the real thing than a render. If you would like to see Diego in action, contact us and we will arrange a demonstration, in person or over video.
See it in actionAt a glance
Light, modular, and repairable. Built so the parts that wear are the parts you can replace.
Diego is a powered prosthetic hand for people with upper-limb difference. It is small, quiet, and light. It does not announce itself when you walk into a room.
Every hand is built from a scan of your residual limb, so the socket and shell sit comfortably against your skin from day one. Inside, a motor-and-linkage drive pulls the fingers through a natural arc using compact encoder motors, while an EMG control loop reads the small electrical signals from your muscles and turns them into movement.
For clinicians, the modular design means most repairs and adjustments happen in clinic, not at a factory across an ocean. For patients, it means independence is not on hold every time something needs a tweak.
We built Diego because the gap between the technology that exists and the technology people can reach has gone on long enough.
What is inside
Three things we cared about most.
Light enough to forget you are wearing it
Carrying a heavy prosthetic at the end of a long day is its own kind of fatigue. Diego is light. Light enough that lifting a kettle, holding a child, or pulling on a coat sleeve stops being an event.
For clinicians and engineers
The body is SLA-printed in structural photopolymer, with ribs tuned to match real-world load paths. Modular shells slot into a shared chassis, so an everyday shell and a more rugged work shell swap over without touching the underlying mechanics.
Movement that feels closer to a hand
You do not think about how you grip a coffee cup or zip a jacket. Motor-and-linkage actuation moves the fingers through curves shaped to mimic that, so control settles into the background where it belongs.
For clinicians and engineers
A motor-and-linkage drive distributes load across joints rather than concentrating it on a single gear stage. Encoder micro-motors with closed-loop position sensing pull the tendons. The EMG control loop captures muscle activity at the socket, conditions it, and produces smooth, low-latency motion across multiple grip patterns.
Built to be repaired, not replaced
A prosthetic hand should not feel fragile. If a part wears out, you swap it yourself with a short video and a small kit. Your clinician helps when the job is bigger. Sending the hand back to us is the last resort, not the default.
For clinicians and engineers
Every wear-prone component (tendons, motor modules, finger linkages, shells) is designed to come out without disassembling the rest of the hand. Standardised connectors, documented torque values, and a service kit that will ship with every Diego. Most jobs are measured in minutes.
Specifications
The numbers, plainly.
Pre-clinical specifications, indicative. Final figures confirmed at production.
- Actuation
- Motor-and-linkage drive with encoder micro-motors
- Control
- Myoelectric (EMG) sensing. Detects intended movement and responds in real time.
- Grip modes
- Multiple grip patterns, configurable per user
- Materials
- SLA-printed photopolymer for structural parts. Biocompatible resin for skin-contact parts.
- Customisation
- Custom-fitted shell from a digital scan. Modular design adapts as needs change.
- Maintenance
- Swappable components. Most repairs by you or your clinician. Return to us only as a last resort.
- Firmware
- Field-upgradeable electronics
- Water resistance
- Built for everyday splash exposure. Not rated for submersion.
- Status
- Pre-clinical. Engineering prototypes in active development.
ReAble prosthetic systems are engineering prototypes in active development. Devices shown are not yet approved for clinical or commercial use.
How it compares
Diego, side by side.
We are not here to run anyone else down, but you deserve a clear picture of where this technology fits.
| Category | Diego | Traditional myoelectric | Body-powered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight | Light | Heavier | Variable |
| Cost | Significantly lower | High | Lower |
| Customisation | Custom-printed shell, modular | Limited per-fitting | Limited |
| Maintenance | User and clinician swaps. No factory return. | Often factory return | Mostly user-serviceable |
| Fitting time | Under 1 week (target) | 8 to 16 weeks typical | 4 to 8 weeks typical |
| Natural movement | Motor-and-linkage, multi-grip | Multi-grip, gear-driven | Single grip, cable-driven |
Comparison is illustrative, based on common configurations across the category. Actual figures vary by device and fitting.
The fitting journey
From first conversation to a hand that is yours.
We are targeting fittings completed in under a week from the first scan. Some go faster, some take a little longer. We work at the pace that suits you.
This is the workflow we are readying for first patients in 2026.
Assess
A contact-free digital scan of your residual limb. Painless, no plaster.
Approx. 1 hour
Print and fit
Your custom shell is shaped to your scan and 3D-printed in our Dublin workshop.
2–3 days
Configure
EMG calibration to your muscle signals, usually across two short sessions.
1–2 days
Live
Practice, feedback, and ongoing support. Components swap in minutes when you need it.
Ongoing
Common worries, addressed
- Is the scan uncomfortable?
- No. The scan is contact-free, takes minutes, and you will be able to stop at any time.
- How many visits do I need?
- Once fittings begin, we expect most people to need three to four visits in person, plus follow-ups. Where it makes sense, we plan to travel for some appointments.
- Do I have to come to Dublin?
- When fittings begin, the first scan and final fitting will take place in Dublin. We plan to keep this to a single trip where possible, and to help with travel and accommodation where needed.
Questions you have asked
Honest answers to the most common questions.
Diego is designed for adults and older children with upper-limb difference, congenital or acquired. Suitability depends on your residual limb anatomy, muscle activity, and goals. The best way to find out is a free, no-pressure consultation with our team.
Cost depends on your fitting, the level of customisation, and the support package you choose. We have built Diego to be far more affordable than traditional myoelectric prosthetics, and we will always give you a clear, written quote before any decision.
Coverage routes are still evolving. Our aim is for Diego to be affordable through routes like the HSE prosthetics scheme, private health insurance, or a combination. Once fittings begin, we will help you understand what applies to your situation.
We are targeting under one week from first scan to a fitted, calibrated hand: scanning, custom shell printing, electronics calibration, and at least two follow-up sessions. We work at your pace.
Children grow, and prosthetic hands need to grow with them. Diego's modular shells suit paediatric fittings well, because a shell can be re-printed as a child grows without replacing the whole device. When we begin paediatric fittings, every child will work with a paediatric clinical specialist alongside our team.
Diego is controlled by EMG, the small electrical signals your muscles produce when you try to move. Sensors sit gently against your skin inside the socket, read those signals, and translate them into movement. After a short calibration session and a few weeks of practice, control becomes intuitive.
Most components on Diego are designed to be swapped by you, your clinician, or by post, so the whole device will not go back to a factory. We will stock spare parts and ship them quickly, and for anything that cannot be solved remotely, our Dublin workshop is here.
Diego is designed to be noticeably lighter than traditional myoelectric hands, which is a core design priority for daily comfort. Final weight depends on the shell and configuration we build for you. Pre-clinical figures are indicative; we will confirm the exact weight of your device at fitting.
Diego is built for everyday splash exposure, like washing dishes or being caught in the rain. It is not rated for submersion or swimming. We will give you a clear, plain-English do and do-not list at fitting.
Send us a message through the contact form, or email sean@reablelabs.ie. We will arrange a free consultation by phone, video, or in person at our Dublin workshop, to talk through your goals and answer any questions. No commitment.
Next step
Ready to take the next step?
Whether you are exploring options for yourself, a child, or a patient, we will meet you where you are.