Project Circleg is a research project of the Institute for Design Research at Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) in the field of industrial design (February 2019 to December 2020). It originated from the bachelor thesis of Simon Oschwald and Fabian Engel (2018), which dealt with the development of a cost-effective lower-limb prosthetic system made of recycled plastic. Project Circleg is currently in the critical pre-competitive phase transferring the knowledge of the research into a marketable prosthetic product with the potential for high impact.
Initial research has shown that 35 to 40 million people globally require prosthetic and orthotic services; 80% of which are living in developing countries where the combination of an affordable and highly functional system is not available. Without access to such products, many individuals in need are confined to their homes and live dependent, excluded lives, increasing the impact of pathology or disability on the person, family and society. [1]
Project Circleg aims to reduce this gap through its innovative and circular approach by up-cycling local plastic waste into an affordable high-quality prosthetic leg. This model for development offers people with lower limb disabilities the opportunity to experience the benefits of self-determined mobility - in particular, with regards to access to education, to the labor market and social life. This newfound freedom leads to improved prospects for prosperity and livelihoods. The concept of the Circleg system is to source and produce locally by establishing a factory capable of scaling up to meet the needs of this market segment within the region of East Africa. In addition to product supply to distributors such as hospitals, NGOs and orthopedic intermediaries, we shall provide services linked to educational technical training and ‘wear and tear’ spare parts – largely possible thanks to the advanced degree of modularity of our innovative system. Our project focuses on delivering measurable high impact and outcomes for its end-users, while abiding by the forward-looking principles of a ‘circular economy’ ecosystem, thus accounting for environmental, social, governance and technological considerations. The circular economy is based on the principles of designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems.
Project Circleg contributes to 10 out of 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, with a core emphasis on freedom of choice for self-determined mobility. Project Circleg is developing a model that can be exported to various parts of the globe, in consideration of the local contexts, with scalability and impact at heart.
1 World Health Organization (WHO). 2017. Standards for prosthetics and orthotics