A bionic arm made by a Nigerian company has been named among TIME’s Best Inventions of 2026.
The Ubokobong Bionic Arm is made by Immortal Cosmetic Art, founded by Ubokobong Amanam, from Akwa Ibom State, and his brother John, a special-effects artist. Amanam lost his fingers in a fireworks accident on New Year’s Day 2019 and could not find a prosthetic that matched his dark skin tone.
The arm is myoelectric, which means the user controls it with electrical signals from their own muscles. It combines a lifelike, skin-matched look with real movement. TIME says it is used by clients in 56 countries.
“We try to restore comfort and confidence to the amputee,” Amanam told TIME.
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