Prosthetics, but Make It Cool: The Third Thumb Revolution

Dani Clode is redefining what it means to design for the human body. As an Augmentation Designer, her work goes beyond traditional prosthetics—she’s not just replacing what’s missing; she’s expanding human capability.

From her early studies in industrial design to her pioneering research at Cambridge University, Dani Clode has never been one to simply accept the limits of the human body. Her work isn’t just about prosthetics—it’s about rethinking what we’re capable of. "I was always really interested in the body, more than in the product," Clode explains. "I got really interested in prosthetics and started exploring what it was like to have an extension like that."

As a member of the BOLD community, she thrives in spaces where different disciplines collide, drawing inspiration from a diverse network of thinkers—engineers, neuroscientists, designers, and beyond.

The Third Thumb & Innovation in Prosthetics

At the center of Clode’s work is the Third Thumb, a 3D-printed prosthetic designed not to replace what’s missing but to expand what’s already there. Controlled by pressure sensors in the big toes, the Thumb lets users grasp, lift, and manipulate objects with a single hand. What started as a master's project quickly took on a life of its own after going viral, sparking a larger conversation about human augmentation and what it means to extend the body's natural capabilities.

But Clode’s work isn’t just about adding an extra digit for fun—it has deep scientific and medical implications. She collaborates with neuroscientists to study how the brain adapts to new limbs, exploring how prolonged use of augmentation could reshape motor skills and cognition. "If we are using tools like this for work, for example, every hour of every day, is it going to change us?" she asks. "How does the brain respond to additional limbs?"

Her research has also opened up new possibilities in rehabilitation, particularly for stroke survivors. Instead of having to learn how to use an entirely new prosthetic arm, they can retrain their existing limb using the Third Thumb, making recovery feel more intuitive.

Challenging Perceptions & Changing Minds

"Getting my Thumb project off the ground was quite challenging during my master's," Clode recalls. "A few people were supportive, others were confused—why was I making this weird thing?" She pushed forward anyway, determined to prove that augmentation had real value.

Then, the unexpected happened: her project went viral. Almost overnight, she was flooded with thousands of comments, messages, and shares from around the world, and she found herself navigating global media attention, learning how to handle both excitement and criticism. "It was surreal," she says. “I've never experienced that kind of reach before." At the same time, she found herself navigating the complexities of sudden media attention, learning how to balance enthusiasm with boundaries. "Nobody really prepared me for that," she says. "I didn’t know how to deal with press. Some were pushy, some treated me as content. I learned the hard way that I am allowed to say, ‘No, I do not like this,’ or ‘I want to do that in a different way’."

Beyond Disability: Rethinking Prosthetics as an Upgrade

Clode envisions a future where augmentation isn’t something people have to justify—it’s simply an option, as normal as getting braces or wearing glasses. Prosthetics, she believes, shouldn’t just be seen as medical devices for those who have lost a limb, but as tools for human potential. "I believe in the extension of the human body and don’t like to define people by what they are missing," she says.

She’s particularly excited by advancements in 3D printing, especially in biological printing, which is moving toward the possibility of printing skin or even entire organs. The idea that we could one day create functional, personalized organs from a patient’s own cells instead of relying on donors is, to her, nothing short of revolutionary.

For now, Clode continues to push the boundaries of augmentation, constantly testing what’s possible when you give people new ways to interact with their own bodies. Her designs challenge the idea that the human form is fixed—because if technology can extend it, why shouldn’t we explore those possibilities?