"All in all, I was pleasantly surprised by how intuitively I could use the prosthesis in, on, and under the water without worrying about whether it would hold up."
Peter's Story
Swimming, Snorkeling, and Stand-Up Paddleboarding with a Myoelectric Prosthetic Hand—My Hands-On Test
I’ve never been a good swimmer. When I was in the water, I enjoyed diving and jumping off the board more. It never occurred to me that I could do the crawl or participate in water sports with my VINCENTevolution prosthetic hand until Stefan Schulz, the CEO of Vincent Systems, asked if I wanted to try something new. He said he had a new product that would let me go in the water with my prosthesis. - Sure, curiosity got the better of me, and before I knew it, my socket was “made waterproof” with the VINCENTaqua neoprene sleeve. The VINCENTevolution is waterproof anyway.
Swimming with the VINCENTevolution hand prosthesis? – Here’s my experience
The answer is clear: Yes! And the first place to test it out was the outdoor pool. After putting on the neoprene sleeve, we headed straight into the water. We started with the crawl. At first, I was unsure. I wondered if the socket would survive unscathed. I wasn’t aware of anyone who had ever been in the water with a myoelectric prosthetic hand and had it still work afterward. But when I ventured fully into the water and realized I could still control the hand even though the socket was completely submerged, all my doubts vanished. The hand could be controlled just as easily as on dry land.
At first, swimming the crawl with the prosthesis felt unusual—but somehow good. I guided the prosthetic hand into the natural grip position. It was similar to how I shaped my hand for swimming. And indeed, the swimming motions felt intuitive right from the start. They just came naturally.
Snorkeling and Diving with My VINCENTevolution – An Endurance Test
top 2: The Quarry Lake! My hand and the neoprene sleeve have an IP68 protection rating. This is currently unique for a myoelectric hand prosthesis. It means the technology can withstand a water depth of 1.5 m for half an hour. I wanted to put that to the test!
I learned the hard way that it’s better to put on your fins once you’re in the water. Using both hands, I was able to pull the fin strap over my heel and adjust my diving goggles.
Stefan and I started snorkeling and then began diving as well. I managed just under two meters. Even underwater, I could still control the prosthesis and give Stefan a hand signal: Everything’s okay.
Final Challenge: Stand-Up Paddleboarding with a Prosthetic Hand
After a successful dive, we moved on to stand-up paddleboarding. At first, I had to find my balance so I wouldn’t fall off the board and figure out a comfortable hand position for the prosthesis to hold the paddle securely. After a short while, I was able to steer the board confidently. It was a lot of fun!
All in all, I was pleasantly surprised by how intuitively I could use the prosthesis in, on, and under the water without worrying about whether it would hold up.
It was a day full of new experiences that broke down a barrier for me. The VINCENTevolution takes durability and everyday usability to a whole new level. It frees my mind from the limitations that used to be a part of my everyday life.