Shownotes:

In this fifth episode of the Social Lights Podcast, podcast host and Social Mediology founder Kate vanderVoort has a conversation with Mat Bowtell from Free 3D Hands.

ABOUT MAT and FREE 3D HANDS

A senior engineer at Toyota, Mat Bowtell has spent more than a decade figuring out ways to improve processes, make things more efficient, and reduce waste.

When Mat’s former employer announced their closure, it became a time of real reflection for him. He asked himself a simple question:

"If money did not exist—and if we completely eliminated money from the equation—what would I do with my life?" (6:51)

When Toyota closed in 2017, he put his passion for bionics to good use. Through his registered charity, Free 3D Hands, Mat and his team now utilize 3D printing technology to make free assistive devices for individuals who need them.

BIG IDEA 1

“Is there a way that I can use my engineering skills during this time to do something positive and give back to society?” (8:16)

Tapping back into his love for bionics, Mat’s vision was a simple one: To make one hand for one kid. After testing out a million-dollar bionic hand during a scholarship at Japan’s Chiba University, his eyes lit up by what it could do. This technology could read the signals in your hand, as well as open and close. At the same time, he was really saddened as he realized that “this million-dollar arm probably won’t ever filter down to the people who really need it most.” (8:00)

In 2014, Mat volunteered for a small group in the US called Enabled. Initially, the hands he made were open source designs. After collaborating with designers from all over the world, he found that some of their designs could be improved significantly. His background in engineering made him ask questions like, “How do we make things stronger? How do we make them more aesthetic? How do we reduce the noise? How do we make them more adaptable?” He started to design things that weren’t yet being made, and began to share those ideas with the group so that the community could accelerate and improve this technology to make them more accessible.

BIG IDEA 2

“The ultimate goal for me is for every child, every person in this world, to have access to devices that are going to improve their quality of life.” (14:47)

Mat’s vision for Free 3D Hands is not to disrupt and dominate. He’s not after the whole pie, and has no intentions of manufacturing for the whole world. Instead, he wants to encourage other bionic developers and prosthetists around the world to find smarter ways to do things. As he shares, “I want the world to start focusing on those that don’t have access to assisted technology.” (15:32)

For Mat, the beautiful thing about 3D printing and making designs open source is that he’s able to encourage others to innovate. He’s able to enable and empower communities—from prosthetic clinics to individual makers with no access to skilled workforce—to make and access this sort of technology. It’s also a very low-waste process. With less waste, there’s a real opportunity to make it at a lower cost and make it more accessible.

BIG IDEA 3

“They are not prosthetics—they are tools.”  (22:24).

The term ‘disability’ has a negative connotation to it. To Mat, it’s about our mindset. “It’s not about fixing somebody.” (21:14) If a person has a condition, questions that should be asked are 'How can we enhance your ability?' and 'How can we give you new opportunities?' “We’re all beautifully different.” (21:34)

Through Free 3D Hands, Mat and his team are able to create assistive devices for able-bodied people to hold and achieve something that they couldn’t do before. The tools they create enable people to try new things, or perform a new task—from holding small objects, using a skipping rope, playing the piano or drums or throwing a ball.

Episode Links

You can find Mat Botwell and more about Free 3D Hands at

• http://www.free3dhands.org.au
• https://www.facebook.com/free3dhands
• https://www.instagram.com/free3dhands/

Keep listening to the upcoming episodes of podcasts by joining in Social Lights Podcast produced by Social Mediology.

You can connect with us on Facebook at @SocialLightsPodcast and find future episodes at socialmediology.com.au/sociallights.

Thanks for your time and stay inspired,

Kate vanderVoort