A Day of Swimming, Snorkeling and Stand-Up Paddleboarding – with a Myoelectric Hand Prosthesis
By Peter
Until now, I was never a strong swimmer. When I was in the water, I enjoyed diving and jumping off boards much more. It never occurred to me that it would be possible to swim freestyle or take part in water sports with my VINCENTevolution4 myoelectric hand prosthesis, until Stefan Schulz, CEO of Vincent Systems, asked whether I would like to try something new. He had developed a new product that would allow me to enter the water while wearing my binoic prosthesis. Of course, curiosity won. Before I knew it, my prosthetic socket was fitted with the VINCENTaqua neoprene sleeve to make it waterproof. The VINCENTevolution4 itself is already designed as a waterproof myoelectric prosthetic hand.
Stop 1: Outdoor Swimming Pool! After pulling on the neoprene sleeve, we went straight into the water. We started with freestyle swimming. At first, I felt uncertain. I wondered whether the socket would withstand the water without damage. As far as I knew, no one had ever used a myoelectric hand prosthesis in the water and then confirmed that it still functioned afterward. But once I fully entered the pool and realized I could still control the prosthetic hand even though the socket was completely underwater, all doubts disappeared. The prosthesis functioned just as reliably as it does on land.
Swimming freestyle with a prosthetic hand felt unusual at first, but also surprisingly natural. I adjusted the bionic hand into its natural grip position, similar to how I would normally shape my hand for swimming. The swimming movements felt intuitive from the beginning. They came almost automatically.
Stop 2: Quarry Lake! My prosthetic hand and the neoprene sleeve meet the IP68 protection rating, which is currently unique for a myoelectric hand prosthesis. This means the technology can withstand a water depth of up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes. Naturally, I wanted to test that.
I quickly learned that it is better to put on diving fins while already in the water. Using both hands, I was able to pull the fin straps over my heels and adjust my diving mask. Stefan and I began snorkeling and then diving underwater. I managed to reach nearly two meters in depth. Even underwater, I was still able to control the prosthesis and give Stefan a hand signal to show that everything was okay.
After the successful dive, we moved on to stand-up paddleboarding. First, I had to find my balance to avoid falling off the board. Then I needed to determine the best grip position for the prosthetic hand in order to hold the paddle securely. After a short time, I was able to steer the board safely. It was a lot of fun.
Overall, I was positively surprised by how intuitively I could use the waterproof bionic prosthesis in, on, and under the water without constantly worrying whether it would withstand the conditions. It was a day full of new experiences that helped break down a mental barrier for me. What the VINCENTevolution4 prosthetic hand delivers in terms of robustness and everyday usability truly represents a new level in modern prosthetic technology. It frees my mind from limitations that had previously been part of my daily life.