Designing for Dignity (Aesthetic Choice in Prosthetic Limbs and Its Psychological Impact)

sparsh - kumar; astha Deshpande

Designing for Dignity (Aesthetic Choice in Prosthetic Limbs and Its Psychological Impact)

Author(s)	Mr. sparsh - kumar, astha Deshpande
Country	India
Abstract	The historical context of prosthetic design, the biological functionality and appearance of a lifelike leg and the notion that if one has a missing limb he/she wants to cover it, so the wearer can be normal around "normal" individuals has always been the primary concern. This paper will explore the psychological and social influence on prosthetic aesthetics-are a patient's needs actually being met by aesthetics based on realism, or is there a more beneficial psychological advantage to more mechanically-based designs and forms of expression? Using a combination of prosthetic embodiment, studies of comparisons of aesthetic preferences and first-person feedback from both amputees and prosthetics technicians and patients. This paper will demonstrate that observers and amputee users have significantly different opinions on artificial aesthetics, with users often feeling more satisfied and more confident with visibly mechanical or expressive-looking artificial limbs, as opposed to what observers prefer (a more lifelike imitation appearance) based on aesthetics that support social normalization. In comparison studies, these stark differences in opinions suggest that aesthetics has more influence over amputee user retention, social return, and overall mental healing than that of a cosmetic matter that can potentially affect overall well-being post-amputation. The paper uses the case study of the Open Bionics Hero Arm to illustrate the use of user-determined aesthetics as an actual design aspect, opposed to solely achieving a realistic outcome, to promote well-being of the user. The paper will ultimately present a call for consideration of aesthetics, as more than just a cosmetic issue, as an essential component to the success and utility of prosthesis and greater influence of psychological and social research into prosthetic development.
Published In	Volume 8, Issue 5, September-October 2026
Published On	2026-09-26

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Designing for Dignity (Aesthetic Choice in Prosthetic Limbs and Its Psychological Impact)

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