Hanoi-based Vulcan Augmetics leverages sensors and manufacturing efficiency to make quality robotic arms affordable for Asia’s underserved amputee population.
• Vulcan makes quality, affordable robotic prosthetics using modular design and sensors for Asia’s underserved.
• Leveraging funding and pilots, they plan overseas expansion into exosuits and medical devices by 2025.
• Vulcan seeks global leadership in assistive “human augmentation” technologies long-term.
Innovative Design
When 29-year-old Hoang Van Dung lost his right hand in a 2019 work accident, his recovery journey led him to Vulcan Augmetics – a Hanoi-based startup making robotic prosthetic arms affordable and adaptable for amputees in Vietnam and beyond.
Dung, now a popular TikTok influencer with over 261,000 followers, worked closely with Vulcan to customize a prosthetic arm, allowing him to rebuild dexterity and navigate daily life.
His videos showcase everything from cooking to dancing using the high-tech appendage.
Revolutionizing the Field of Prosthetics
Founded in 2017, Vulcan seeks to revolutionize access to prosthetics, which often remain prohibitively expensive for lower-income amputees worldwide.
The startup incorporates modular design, on-device sensors, and smartphone connectivity to create upgradable, adaptable solutions priced under $1,500.
“Our product has to compete with customers’ lost hands,” said co-founder Ha Trinh. “The expectation is high.”
R&D refinements over three years culminated in commercialization beginning last year.
A Beacon of Hope
But Vulcan looks beyond just manufacturing arms through traditional techniques supplemented by 3D printing.
“We envision ourselves as a human augmentation company starting in prosthetics,” explained CEO Rafael Masters, emphasizing proprietary sensor tech that lets the prosthetic continuously learn and calibrate to user movements over time.
Quest Ventures recently invested seed funding to aid overseas expansion targeting populous emerging markets like India, where scaled local production can serve widespread underserved demand.
A Glimpse into the Future
Vulcan also collaborates with hospitals on pilot programs globally.
By 2025, the startup intends to parlay sensor expertise into remote patient monitoring and industrial exosuits, ultimately driving down the costs of assistive technologies through Vietnamese innovation.
“Our goal is to be the global leader in body-mounted systems applicable to any wearable device,” Masters stated, eyeing long-term deployment from virtual reality to medical apps.
