In the coastal city of Sousse, a Tunisian medtech startup is redefining the future of prosthetics with lightweight, AI-powered bionic arms that blend cutting-edge engineering with affordability.
Founded in 2020 by engineer Mohamed Dhaouafi, Cure Bionics designs and manufactures 3D-printed prosthetic limbs controlled by muscle signals via advanced electromyography (EMG) sensors. The mission is clear: make high-quality prosthetics accessible, especially for children, at a fraction of the cost of imported devices.
The concept was born during Dhaouafi’s studies at the National Engineering School of Sousse. A student competition sparked the idea when a teammate shared the story of a relative born with a limb difference who had to wait until adulthood for a costly prosthetic. “We realized there was a critical gap in both access and affordability,” recalls Dhaouafi.
While traditional prosthetics can cost up to \$50,000 and require months to produce, Cure Bionics delivers its bionic arms within a week for about \$8,000. Professor Amine Allah Massadi, an intensive care medicine specialist at the University of Tunis, says these devices match — and often exceed — the performance of foreign products at more than 50% less cost.
In the startup’s Sousse lab, engineers use the Myo Finder to scan patients’ limbs, reading EMG signals in real time. Training begins with the Myo Link mobile app, which lets users practice virtual hand control before receiving the physical device.
Cure Bionics’ flagship arm, Hannibal, is tailored to amputees’ daily needs. It features a rotating wrist joint, adjustable socket, magnetic charging, and tactile feedback to partially restore sensation. With a single mode-switch button, wearers can shift between assistive and automatic functions, lock movements, and experience touch-like vibrations.
Dhaouafi envisions scaling production and bringing the technology to underserved communities across Africa and the Middle East. “Our goal,” he says, “is to give every amputee the chance to live fully and independently — without being held back by cost or access.”
TunisianMonitorOnline
