Durable and strong, protecting the soft flesh contained within them, exoskeletons in nature have inspired innovative designs for everything from wearable personal mobility vehicles to full-scale skyscrapers. In these 12 futuristic designs, exoskeletons expand the range of human movement, change the way architecture bears weight, shield vulnerable gadgets from damage and just plain look cool.

Human-Controlled Exoskeleton Anti-Robot

The developers of ‘Prosthesis’ call it an ‘anti-robot’ because it was built ‘by humans, for humans,’ meaning it’s not going to take off on its own, functioning more as an extension of the body. Dependent on the driver strapped into its cockpit, the vehicle stands 16 feet tall and runs like an animal. Says project leader Jonathan Tippett, “Prosthesis is neither a weapon, nor a tool. It is a sports machine, and the pilot is the athlete. It’s Formula One, meets the future.”

Exo Prosthetic Leg

Not only is this 3D-printed artificial limb by Adam Root faster and less expensive than conventional prosthetics, it’s way cooler looking. The technique uses a combination of 3D scanning, printing and modeling software to create a custom-fit prosthetic inspired by exoskeletons that’s essentially an accessory, “a customizable intimate addition to your body taking on your form.”

Exo iPhone Case

This smart protective phone case design absorbs impact without interfering too much with the visual profile of your phone – important for those Apple fans who love the slimline look of the iPhone. Exo by Lucidream snaps onto the back of a phone in seconds with a spring-damped impact absorption system and non-snagging bezels.

Lobster-Inspired, Robot-Created Pavilion

Researchers programmed a robot to wind carbon fiber into a full-scale pavilion inspired by a lobster exoskeleton. The resin-saturated glass and carbon fibers used to create it are based on research into the load-bearing efficiency of the layers of chitin in protein that make up a lobster shell. The glass fibers act as a framework while the carbon fibers take on most of the weight. The pavilion was wound around a steel frame, which was later removed.

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Exoskeleton Inspired Design

Increasingly affordable and accessible, 3D printing is enabling the creation of everything from simple straw holders to prosthetic hands for people with disabilities, whose quality of life can be greatly enhanced with a little technology. These 12 creations help the blind visualize memories, allow kids with muscular dystrophy to play video games, and even restore brain function after devastating accidents.

Touchable Memories: Tactile Photos for the Visually Impaired

An affordable home printer called the Buccaneer can be used in conjunction with ‘Touchable Memories,’ a software by Pirate3D, to turn photographs into tactile 3D-printed objects. The project allows people who have lost their eyesight or been blind from birth to visualize the memories that were photographed, whether in relief form or as freestanding sculptures.

‘Magic Arms’ Exoskeleton

A little girl suffering from a rare congenital disorder that limits her ability to use her arms now has a ‘magic’ exoskeleton that aids her movement and enables her to lift objects. A team at the duPont Hospital for Children created a wearable 3D-printed plastic jacket that’s lightweight enough to be used by small children. Heavier, larger versions of the robotic exoskeleton are hard to use and expensive to replace as the children grow, but using 3D printing means it’s as simple as adjusting the dimensions on the 3D model and printing a new one.

Q-Ramp Modular Access System for Wheelchairs

Most cities aren’t exactly built with wheelchairs in mind, but for a few ramps here and there. Raul Krauthausen of Berlin, who uses a wheelchair full-time due to a genetic bone disorder, had trouble getting around Berlin on his own. Having purchased a 3D printer just for fun, he started envisioning how he could use it to improve his quality of life. The result is a portable, printable wheelchair ramp that’s easy to carry on the back of his chair. Krauthausen put the design up on Thingiverse so others can print their own.

Custom Game Controllers

Conditions like muscular dystrophy can weaken the muscles to the point that even using a game controller is too tiring. Tinkerer Caleb Kraft noted that the special controllers marketed to the disabled were grossly overpriced, and decided to come up with his own solution. His 3D-printed creation is not exactly robust enough for most of today’s more complex games, but it allows a child to play Minecraft.

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Touchable Memories 12 3d Printed Aids For The Disabled

Prosthetic limb technology has come a very long way since the days of peg legs and hook hands. With advances in cybernetic technology, prosthetic limbs are now able to be connected directly to the user’s nervous system so they can be moved by the mind just like natural limbs. These incredible prosthetic limb designs are at the forefront of cybernetic development – some are real, some are still concepts, but they are all amazing.

(image via: Daily Mail)

The world’s first robotic ankle was developed by a team at MIT especially for war veterans who have lost their legs in combat. The design is a huge improvement over previous legs which cause quick fatigue in users due to inefficient movements. The MIT ankle is flexible and propels wearers along with a small motor and a series of springs, cutting down on fatigue and giving wearers a much more natural gait.

(images via: Gajitz)

It is far from conventional, but this curling prosthetic arm concept designed by industrial design student Kaylene Kau is functional and definitely memorable. Rather than featuring flesh tones or a realistic-looking arm and hand, this prosthetic takes on a far more industrial appearance. Its articulating segments roll up to wrap around objects in order to manipulate them and move them around. While it would not be the best solution for those who like to maintain a low profile, it would be a very distinctive accessory for the adventurous and playful amputee.

(images via: Gajitz)

There aren’t many prosthetic devices aimed specifically at one gender or the other, but the Outfeet concept from Aviya Serfaty is a leg made just for women. It is adaptable in order to let the user change up its appearance significantly. Different “skins” can be stretched over the foundation to create a variety of fashionable looks to match whatever function and style the user chooses. A high heel attachment can even be added, letting the wearer dress up this decidedly feminine leg.

(image via: Rex Bionics)

The Robotic Exoskeleton (or Rex) was designed by a New Zealand company to get wheelchair users up and out of the chair and to allow them to walk around freely. The mechanism may look a little intimidating at first, but this amazing machine is about to revolutionize the way paraplegics get around. Rex is kept upright with gyro stabilization, making it exceptionally stable even when the user is in a crowded environment where people are brushing up against the user. And because no crutches are required with Rex, users can use their hands for other activities while standing tall in their new robotic legs.

(images via: Gajitz)

While many prosthesis designers are trying to make their products look more natural and life-like, some are going in the opposite direction and embracing the industrial aesthetic. Such is the case with this arm from Creative DNA Australia, which is all bare metal and futuristic-looking joints. Best of all, it’s got more tools than a Swiss Army knife: a screwdriver, bottle opener, phone, camera and a touch screen are all included in this outrageously different prosthetic arm design.

(images via: Joanna Hawley)

This may be the most overtly stylish prosthesis ever created. It was modeled by designer Joanna Hawley after the iconic furniture and architectural designs of Charles and Ray Eames. Its clean lines, sophisticated appearance and inherent grace reflect a far greater level of humanity and personality than most other prosthetic limbs. The designer wanted to create a prosthetic limb that would give wearers a sense of pride in their appearance rather than embarrassment at wearing an ugly prosthesis.

Prosthetics have been used to replace lost limbs since there have been limbs to be lost; during this time, peg legs and crutches have transformed into power suits and robot arms. The prosthetic limb was once a static, inflexible mockery of what it was replacing. Today, incredible technology has gone into the science of prosthetics, making them elegant examples of technology and design that are awe inspiring. We are much closer to Science Fiction than you probably think. Your jaw will drop as you take a journey through the past, present, and future of prosthetic technology.

(Images via Africa Science, robot nine, mentalfloss)

Prosthetic toes made of wood were recently found on an Egyptian mummy (pictured above), and such ingenuity continues to be required in less technologically advanced areas of the world. Where a prosthetic limb was once carved out of wood, they can now be fashioned out of an old basketball and some sturdy paddles.

(Images via we-make-money-not-art, marvelironman)

No longer just an instrument to help the disabled recover functionality, some additions provide superior strength and stamina to the most fit individuals. An external suit can take the pressure off your limbs while carrying heavy bags, or help remove the stress of repetitive actions. No matter how they’re used, lurching power suits are incredibly appealing, as they dance close to the dream of bionic humans so often found in literature, film, and television.

(Images via boingboing, grinding, handicappedpets, treehugger)

Animals get hurt too, and people are always coming up with innovative ways to maintain quality of life for their furry friends. A broken leg used to be a death sentence for a horse, but now even a lost limb can be taken care of.

(Images via prosthetic limbs, virtualworldlets, nydailynews, geek)

Arguably the most difficult limb to replace is the arm, and by extension (literally), the hand. With an intricate weave of tendons and musculature allowing the most minute movements, early attempts to add functionality involved attaching a hook or wooden arm with the inability to move. From the revolutionary clasping motion, to the most modern neurally controlled arm in existence, the DEKA, prosthetics are progressing in sophistication at an incredible rate.

(Images via daylife, reason, wired)

People who lost legs once had to resign themselves to lives spent hobbling with crutches; this is no longer the case. The advancement of material strength and flexibility, and the departure from feet that look like feet, allow the disabled to run with incredible speed – so much so, that the paralympic games are investigating whether modern prosthetic legs provide an unfair advantage.

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Transportation for the disabled is difficult enough, but advances in sports technology are allowing people to maintain their hobbies despite any physical limitations. There are snowboards that hook directly into your prosthetic and special bikes usable even if you only have one leg. Innovations are consistently pushing the boundaries of what is and isn’t possible.

(Images via epitalizacion, science museum, hvmag)

If one were to step back only a scattering of decades, the difference in prosthetic technology would be astounding. The peg leg of our great grandparents holds no comparison to the alloy legs of today. Performers with peg legs used to be notable mostly for their uniqueness, much like a freak at the circus. Thankfully, society is no longer as close minded.

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Mobility has long been the greatest hurdle for those who lose a leg (or two), but the variety of prosthetics is astounding. Some legs attempt to fool the eye by looking as realistic as possible, while others make no attempt to hide their function behind their form.

(Images via free republic, greendiary, science ahead)

Prosthetic hands now provide enough feedback to cradle an egg, and enough strength to grab and lift almost any object. The means of manipulation have changed as well – pulleys have been replaced by connections back to nerves on the body that allow one to control one’s limb just as they control their originals.

(Images via gizmodo, uwaterloo, artificial limbs, methodist rehab)

Their are over 26 bones in the human foot, and even removing one toe can cause issues with balance. With the amount of weight and stress placed each time you step down, and the need for feet to be able to bounce back without losing all of the energy pushing against the ground, designing a prosthetic foot is far from simple. Solutions range from the plodding mannequin foot and peg leg to the mechanically responsive and pnuematic.

(Images via coated, canadian space program, fast company, spike, gadget)

The future of prosthetics can be an enjoyable exercise in design that uniquely bridges the gap between the personal and the technological. The above photos are conceptual, but from what we’ve seen thus far, don’t seem to be out of reach. These designs will no doubt inspire the look of the next generation of prosthetics.

(Images via gandt, lbufano, dvice, stelarc)

The prosthetics link the technological and the personal, the inanimate with the human, in such a unique manner, that it’s the source of inspiration for a great number of artists. Lumbering man-machines and extra arms are the dreams of those without missing limbs, while the beauty and surreal natural of prosthetics are the source of a very different kind of art.

(Images via Gizmodo, BoingBoing, moolf)

Land animals having prosthetics is interesting, but not unexpected. Adding a missing limb or a wheel to a turtle or dog can be cute or inspirational, but adding a fin to a dolphin is just plain stunning. Wild birds and swimming creatures are not immune to the dangers of poachers and rogue boats, but fixing them is much more difficult, and even more amazing.

(Image via American Technology)

The evolution of the prosthetic limb is not far from the hopeful image above, and there is little doubt that technology and design inspiration will continue to push the boundaries of what we once thought possible.