Imagine being unable to lift a cup of coffee, open a door, or write a simple note. These small movements can be beyond the grasp of numerous others who live with physical disabilities caused by accidents or birth defects. What if, however, an emerging engineering team could develop an invention to rekindle pride, hope, and autonomy?

This idea gave birth to Adaptive Hand Solutions, BINUS ASO School of Engineering in Indonesia, and Arizona State University (ASU) in America, a binational project. Led by ASU's EPICS Program Prof. Jared Schoepf and BINUS' Ir. Yosica Mariana, S.T., M.T., IPU, ASEAN Eng., this project collaboratively involves students from both countries to function as a single united team.

Weekly, students bridge time zones over Zoom and work diligently at home campuses. They conceptualize, design prototypes, and bring prototypes to life with one thing in mind: to develop an affordable, functional, yet lightweight, ergonomic, and easy-to-use prosthetic hand. Fueled by 3D printing capabilities, the team could develop a medium-fidelity prototype, which, upon maturity, would enable people to grasp and lift everyday objects, a revolutionary invention whose potential can transform their quality of life.

Local students brought relevant expertise in the local environment and user needs and led the making of prototypes through 3D printing technology. The ASU team, on their part, brought cutting-edge research practices and design expertise to the prosthetic. Together, they learned to listen, collaborate, and co-design meaningful solutions. This program also encompasses the spirit of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Good Health and Well-Being (SDG 3), Quality Education (SDG 4), Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure (SDG 9), and Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10). This indicates that where education, technology, and empathy intersect, innovation occurs holistically and integrally.

In the future, Adaptive Hand Solutions can pave the way to future research collaborations, research paper co-authorships, and even local production of prosthetics in Indonesia. More importantly, it offers hope that innovation can and should be made universally accessible, regardless of one's circumstances.

As Yosica Mariana likes to tell students: Design isn't just about creating products, it's about creating impact. This project takes one step in this direction.

The Indonesian participants include Forbes Kent (Product Design Engineering) and Amelinda Putri (Automotive Robotics Engineering), who were guided by lecturers Ir. Yosica Mariana, S.T., M.T., IPU, ASEAN Eng., Intan Mahardika, S.T., M.T., and Christian Harito, Ph.D. The ASU student team includes Leul Mesfin and Braylon Wood (Biomedical Engineering), Dylan Thompson (Electrical Engineering), and Aryan Chauhan (Civil Engineering).