World-leading innovation for life-changing upper limb solutions
Upper limb deficiency or loss refers to when a limb, or part of a limb, is either missing, incomplete at birth, or has been amputated
Thanks to cutting-edge innovation, however, there are an increasingly diverse range of options available to help simulate limb function and transform lives.
Upper limb prosthetic technologies are foremost in helping to address such cases, offering a range of functionality and control depending on the user's needs and residual limb characteristics.
These have advanced incredibly over the past 20 years to encompass various devices, ranging from passive and body-powered prostheses to externally powered myoelectric options and hybrid designs, each with unique advantages.
Touch Bionics
A 2002 spinout from NHS Lothian and InnoScot Health, Touch Bionics quickly established itself as a pioneer in world-leading prosthetic technologies.
In 2007, Touch Bionics launched the i-limb® hand, the world’s first powered prosthetic hand to incorporate an articulating finger, allowing digits to open and close around objects in a more natural and anatomically correct way than any previous hand prosthesis. Touch continued to create a host of new and updated i-limb® technologies, revolutionising the care and lives of thousands of patients fitted with its products, and went on to achieve further international recognition through the fitting of the world’s first electrically powered shoulder.
Touch Bionics was sold to Icelandic firm Össur for £27.5 million in 2016, allowing the Reykjavik-based global leader in non-invasive orthopaedics to enter the upper limb prosthetic market. It is now known as Össur Touch Solutions and its products include myoelectric prosthetic hand and prosthetic finger solutions, as well as realistic passive silicone prostheses that match the natural appearance of the wearer.
Continued success
Touch Bionics began as an idea in NHS Lothian from bioengineer and company founder, David Gow. Originally called Touch EMAS (Edinburgh Modular Arm System), it was the first NHS spinout and quickly acquired significant initial funding from Scottish Enterprise. It has since received investment funding from organisations that include Archangel Informal Investments, TriCAP, Clydesdale Bank and the Scottish Co-investment Fund. In 2005 the company was rebranded Touch Bionics to reflect the future focus of its prosthesis technology and continued to expand and innovate its base product. In April 2016 the company was acquired by Össur, a recognised “Technology Pioneer” and global leader in non-invasive orthopaedics that help people live a life without limitations.
Whilst ownership and company name have changed, it maintains a strong presence in Scotland with a recently expanded 30,000 square foot facility in Livingston.
In 2023, it received a £400,000 grant from Scottish Enterprise to create the next generation of prosthetics, allowing it to go from strength to strength, and representing a strong ongoing commitment from Össur to the Scottish economy.
Impact
Using InnoScot Health’s support as a strong foundation for widening the scope of its ambitions, Touch Solutions is built on homegrown, breakthrough technology which was then successfully shaped into an attractive global investment prospect.
In choosing to make the company its first spinout, InnoScot Health recognised those world-leading innovation capabilities, as well as the ability to create jobs, improve clinical outcomes, and quality of life for users across the country with many bespoke products supplied through the NHS.
Össur Touch Solutions continues to lead the way in prosthetic solutions that are improving the mobility of people across the globe and transforming lives while enhancing Scotland’s international reputation as a place to innovate and scale businesses.
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