Project Circleg by Simon Oschwald

^{Picture credits: Lucca Leandro Barbery}

Could you describe your BRIDGE Proof of Concept project in a few words?

Project Circleg is endorsing a holistic approach in the development of appropriate lower-limb prosthetic system for people living in low-to middle-income countries. Locally and readily available recycled plastics are transformed into affordable high-quality prosthetics through innovative circular manufacturing processes. Project Circleg is a Spin-Off of the Zurich University of the Arts and has the vision of freedom of mobility for everyone. 

What are the next steps?

With the produced and structurally tested pre-series of the Circleg prosthesis, we will conduct a long-term usability test in East Africa. At the same time, we will continue to build up the supply chain in Kenya and to expand our network of potential customers and the respective beneficiaries. The initial goal is to provide high quality and holistic prosthetic care for the East African region and through this; gained experiences start to expand our activities to other regions of the world.

How has BRIDGE Proof of Concept helped you get to where you are today?

Through the BRIDGE Proof of Concept programme, we were able to finalise and validate our prosthetic prototype and to start the production of the pre-series. The program facilitated the development and made it possible to bring our initial research to a pre-series product, with which we can enter the market now. For us, the BRIDGE Proof of Concept programme literally acted as a bridge between research and market and enabled us to proof that our vision of freedom of mobility for everyone can be turned into reality.

What advice would you give to new applicants?

It sounds very obvious, but the best advice we could give to new applicants is to just do it! Ideas and visions can just become reality when someone takes a first step into a direction. So, whatever you have in your mind, take the first steps towards it. The application to the BRIDGE Proof of Concept program could be one of them.