From a Personal Idea to a Functional Swimming Orthosis

Today, we are launching a new series of stories about the rehabilitation of our veterans — people who, after severe injuries, are returning to movement, sports, and an active life.
Our first story is about Denys, a veteran who, after his first dive, realized that he wanted to fully engage his left leg while swimming, despite having no functional movement below the knee.
A conventional swim fin was not suitable for this purpose, so Denys created the first prototype himself, attaching a fin to an old orthosis using reinforced tape. The idea worked, but the design needed further adaptation.
That was when our engineering team and students from Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute joined the project. Junior Engineer Oleksii Petryk transformed the initial idea into a customized orthosis.
→ 3D scanning of the limb
→ CAD modeling
→ Design of the fin attachment system
→ 3D printing of the prototype
→ In-water testing
→ Design refinement
As a result, Denys was able to effectively use both legs while swimming. The functionality of the design was also confirmed by his instructors.
“This orthosis is a small and almost invisible step for humanity, but a giant leap in my return to a full and active life.”
For us, this is an example of how the specific need of an individual can become the starting point for an engineering solution.
We cover the entire development cycle — from communication with the user and defining requirements to engineering design, prototyping, testing, and further improvement.
The next stage is the final version of the orthosis and Denys’s continued training.
Junior Engineer — Oleksii Petryk
Biomedical / Mechanical Engineering
Research prototypes are developed in collaboration with engineers and with consultative support from medical professionals.