The Arab American University announced the launch of the electronic hand "OHand", which was provided by the University's Prosthetics and Orthotics Factory. This came during a press conference held at the Factory's headquarters on the University campus in Jenin.

The event was attended by the acting president of the University, Dr. Bara Asfour, the vice president for Ramallah campus affairs, Prof. Dr. Mohammad Asia, the general manager of the Prosthetics and Orthotics Factory at the University, Eng. Mustafa Irshaid, and the technical director of the Factory, Mr. Walid Abu Samra. The press conference was moderated by the director of public relations, Mr. Firas Saifi.

At the beginning of the conference, the acting president of the University, Dr. Bara Asfour, announced the great scientific and medical achievement that the Arab American University has attained through the Prosthetics and Orthotics Factory. He noted that the launch of the electronic hand is not just an event, but rather the result of tireless efforts and fruitful cooperation between an elite group of experts and specialists.

"This smart hand is not just a prosthetic tool, but rather a new hope for those who have lost a part of their body, and a living embodiment of our ability to overcome challenges and find innovative solutions to the problems we face", Dr. Asfour added. He also explained that the electronic hand is the result of joint efforts made by the Prosthetics and Orthotics Factory at the Arab American University, and is evidence of the Factory's ability to overcome difficulties in light of the difficult circumstances experienced by the Palestinian people. He stressed that this hand is a message to the entire world that the Palestinians are able to compete and excel in the field of prosthetics and scientific technology.

Dr. Asfour concluded by saying, "This achievement is the culmination of the vision of the Arab American University and the Prosthetics and Orthotics Factory to be a pioneer in the field of Prosthetics in the Middle East with technological development, and to contribute effectively to serving the Palestinian community. It is also in line with the vision of the Prosthetics and Orthotics Factory in providing the latest technologies and prosthetic devices for people with disabilities and improving their quality of life."

For his part, the Vice President for Ramallah Campus Affairs, Professor Dr. Mohammad Asia, stressed that since its establishment, the University has been working to integrate the local, regional and international market with the academic education it provides in classrooms, factories and laboratories.

Prof. Asia pointed out that the University has reached the fifth stage of education, meaning that the student goes to the market and develops during her/his engagement in the market after graduation. He explained that the prosthetics program at the Arab American University is the only specialization in the Middle East that produces generations who are specialists in the field of prosthetics, in addition to the fact that the Factory established on the University campus in the city of Jenin is one of the unique factories in the Middle East.

In turn, the Director General of the Prosthetics and Orthotics Factory at the Arab American University, Engineer Mustafa Irshaid, confirmed that the Factory is the first in the Arab world, established in 2019 on an area of ​​1,800 square meters and under the supervision of the global leader in this field, Autobock. He indicated that the main goal of the Factory is to provide advanced technical solutions that contribute to improving the lives of individuals and enhance their ability to regain their independence and practice their daily lives easily and effectively.

He explained that the Prosthetics and Orthotics Factory provides a comprehensive set of advanced solutions that meet the needs of the individual and include upper and lower electronic and non-electronic prosthetics, in addition to assistive devices specialized in treating and correcting bone deformities such as orthotics and spinal devices.

Engineer Irshaid stressed the Factory's commitment to applying the latest technologies, including 3D printing and the CAD CAM system, which provides an ideal combination of speed and accuracy, and also contributes to accelerating the production cycle from design to manufacturing while ensuring high levels of accuracy with an error rate not exceeding 1%.

For his part, the technical director of the Factory, Mr. Walid Abu Samra, explained that this hand is characterized by the use of advanced technologies, such as nerve signal sensors and artificial intelligence algorithms. This enables it to accurately understand the user's intentions and convert them into natural movements, allowing independent control of the movement of each finger because of the five precise linear motors. He noted that the "OHand" can bear a fixed load of up to 20 kg for the entire hand and 5 kg for each finger, as its weight reaches only 500 grams, which makes it strong, effective and lightweight.

He added, "The wrist allows for rotation at an angle of up to 175 degrees, providing great freedom of hand movement. The hand also has a fast response time, taking only 0.8 seconds to fully open and close." Mr. Walid touched on the features of the smart hand, saying, "It is possible to choose 18 different grip positions, to suit the patient's needs, out of 33 available positions. This diversity allows users to customize the hand via a program on the mobile phone to meet their specific needs, whether it is to pick up small objects, write, or eat."

Young man Rafi Thawabteh from Azmut, Nablus District, is the first person to try the electronic hand. He expressed his happiness with this experience, and is waiting for the time to install it in its final form to continue his life. He thanked the Arab American University and the University's Prosthetics and Orthotics Factory for what they provide in order to serve the local community.