November Spotlight: ReAble Labs – Making Advanced Prosthetic Technology More Accessible
HIHI clinical evaluation connects Cork-based medtech innovators with prosthetics and rehabilitation specialists to help shape the development of a more affordable, comfortable and repairable prosthetic hand.
Health Innovation Hub Ireland (HIHI) is delighted to feature ReAble Labs as its November Spotlight, highlighting the work of this emerging Irish medtech company developing an affordable myoelectric prosthetic hand designed to improve accessibility, comfort and independence for people with upper-limb limb loss.
Founded in September 2025 and headquartered in Cork, ReAble Labs was established by Seán Barrett, CEO and CTO, an Electrical and Electronic Engineering student at University College Cork with previous industry experience at Boston Scientific, and William Hartley, COO and Clinical Lead, a medical student at Trinity College Dublin.
The company is developing the ReAble Hand, known as Diego, an advanced myoelectric prosthesis designed around three core principles: affordability, comfort and repairability.
Addressing an unmet clinical need
For people who have experienced upper-limb amputation, access to a functional prosthetic device can make a significant difference to independence, mobility and quality of life. However, advanced powered prosthetic hands remain financially out of reach for many patients.
Myoelectric prosthetic hands typically cost between €15,000 and €100,000, creating significant barriers for individuals and healthcare providers. Other challenges include device weight, discomfort, maintenance requirements and lengthy repair times, which can leave users without their prosthesis for extended periods.
ReAble Labs aims to address these barriers with a device targeting a retail cost of approximately €5,000.
Using two electromyographic (EMG) sensors positioned on the forearm, the ReAble Hand detects muscle signals, allowing users to intuitively open and close the hand. It offers six standard grip patterns, including fist, pinch and tripod grips, alongside the ability to create customised grips to suit individual needs and everyday activities.
A particularly important feature is its modular finger design. Each finger can be replaced independently, either at home or during a clinical visit, reducing downtime and avoiding the need to return the entire prosthesis to the manufacturer when an individual component requires repair.
How HIHI supported ReAble Labs
For an early-stage medical technology company, gaining access to clinical expertise and understanding the practical requirements of real-world healthcare settings is essential to successful product development.
Through its clinical evaluation programme, HIHI worked with ReAble Labs to assess the ReAble Hand in the context of real-world clinical practice, connecting the company with prosthetists at Ottobock in Cork, clinicians at the National Rehabilitation Hospital (NRH) and staff in the POLAR Unit at Mercy University Hospital, Cork.
HIHI also coordinated a clinical observation visit at the National Rehabilitation Hospital, with the findings brought together in a Clinical Evaluation Final Report.
The evaluation confirmed a clearly defined unmet clinical need. Clinicians identified cost, weight and fit as significant reasons why patients may decline or discontinue the use of upper-limb prostheses, and agreed that the ReAble Hand was designed to address these challenges.
The engagement also provided valuable technical and clinical feedback to inform the next stages of development. Key considerations included the reliable integration of electrodes with the silicone liners worn by prosthetic users and ensuring consistent positioning of the device to support reliable muscle-signal detection.
This direct engagement with clinical specialists gave ReAble Labs practical insights into both its hand technology and socket design process.
Looking ahead
ReAble Labs is continuing to progress the development of its technology, with plans to undertake further user evaluations, product pilots and regulatory studies.
The company’s early progress has also attracted recognition, with ReAble Labs named a 2026 winner of the Hult Prize Irish National Final and the AIB Student Impact Award for Enterprise and Innovation.
For HIHI, the ReAble Labs engagement demonstrates the importance of connecting emerging Irish innovators with healthcare professionals at an early stage of development. By facilitating clinical access, structured evaluation and meaningful feedback, HIHI helps companies better understand healthcare needs and develop solutions informed by clinical practice.
As ReAble Labs progresses towards its next development milestones, its ambition to make advanced prosthetic technology more affordable and accessible represents an exciting example of Irish innovation with the potential to improve people’s lives.
Read the full case study here: