Kaarina Olsson

Finnish inventor revolutionizing accessible prosthetics through 3D printing

Kaarina Olsson is a biomedical engineer whose company Prosthetica Solutions has developed low-cost 3D-printed prosthetics that are transforming lives in developing countries. Her breakthrough came in 2021 with the introduction of the 'Flexi-Limb' system, which uses recycled plastic materials and can be produced in 48 hours at 90% lower cost than traditional prosthetics. This innovation has enabled over 15,000 amputees in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia to receive life-changing prosthetics since 2020.

Olsson's open-source design philosophy allows clinics worldwide to adapt her models using local materials. Her work has been featured in Nature magazine and earned her the 2023 Global Health Innovation Prize. She currently partners with UNICEF to establish mobile 3D printing labs in conflict zones, ensuring access to prosthetics during humanitarian crises. Her TED Talk 'Printing New Beginnings' has over 2.1 million views.