TEXTILES.ORG
To combat the discomfort some people may feel in public when sporting a prosthetic limb, Ukrainian device maker SYLA has partnered with London, England-based Running Guy design studio on a removable textile sleeve that allows the medical device to blend in with regular clothing.
The company’s X1 bionic knee has an adaptive microprocessor using assistive artificial intelligence that adapts in real time to various terrains, activities and a person’s gait, the product’s materials note, without the user needing an app. For the sleeves, SYLA uses lightweight, high-performance nylon fabric, and they will be available in different colors to coordinate with clothing.
News stories have listed amputee estimates in Ukraine at 50,000 or more due to the fighting there and prevalence of landmines since Russia invaded in February 2022.
The company is currently beta testing the X1 and is raising investment funds to continue to grow as well as refine, test and certify the device. It aims for launch and sales in late 2026.