Nigerian inventor Ubokobong Amanam has earned worldwide recognition after TIME journal named his bionic arm, designed to revive each the looks and performance of lacking limbs, among its Best Inventions of 2026.
Mr Amanam, who hails from Akwa Ibom State, South-South Nigeria, introduced the popularity in a Facebook post on Thursday, describing it as a milestone for African innovation and a reminder that transformative concepts can emerge from wherever.
Immortal Cosmetic Art developed the invention, referred to as the Ubokobong Bionic Arm, after Mr Amanam co-founded the corporate along with his brother, John, following a fireworks accident that price him his fingers on New Year’s Day in 2019.
According to TIME, Mr Amanam struggled to discover a prosthetic hand that matched his darkish pores and skin tone after the accident. His brother, a special-effects artist, subsequently crafted a extremely lifelike synthetic hand for him. This expertise impressed the brothers to create lifelike prosthetics for different Black amputees.
The venture later developed past beauty restoration when John, drawing on his special-effects experience and his brother’s background in expertise and electronics, developed a prosthetic that mixes a sensible look with purposeful motion.
The ensuing bionic arm is myoelectric, which means the consumer’s muscle tissues generate electrical alerts that management it. The expertise allows amputees to function the prosthesis by way of muscle exercise slightly than relying solely on a passive synthetic limb.
TIME mentioned shoppers in 56 international locations have been utilizing the gadget, highlighting the worldwide attain of an innovation that emerged from a private wrestle to discover a appropriate prosthesis.
In his announcement, Mr Amanam mentioned the popularity was impressed by his expertise and the ache he endured after the accident.
“This international recognition is a significant milestone for African innovation and a reminder that world-changing ideas can emerge from anywhere,” he wrote.
He added that he hoped his journey would encourage others to persevere, innovate, and develop options that may make an enduring contribution to humanity.
The recognition additionally factors to the significance of designing assistive applied sciences that account for the wants and bodily traits of customers who’ve traditionally been underserved by typical prosthetics.
For many amputees, prosthetic units are greater than purposeful aids. Their look, match, and skill to replicate a consumer’s pores and skin tone can have an effect on consolation, confidence, and social interplay.
By combining lifelike skin-tone matching with muscle-controlled motion, the Ubokobong Bionic Arm seeks to deal with each the sensible and psychological challenges related to limb loss.
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The recognition locations a Nigerian-developed assistive expertise among the improvements TIME chosen for its 2026 checklist, drawing worldwide consideration to African inventors’ capacity to develop options with purposes past the continent.
The recognition follows earlier reporting by PREMIUM TIMES on Mr Amanam’s work in medical expertise. In June, the newspaper reported that he had launched a robotic rehabilitation glove designed to assist stroke survivors and folks with hand disabilities regain motion. The gadget options guided hand workouts and mirror-mode coaching supposed to help rehabilitation.
The bionic arm has additionally attracted worldwide media consideration. A Reuters report revealed in August 2025 examined how the brothers developed the prosthesis to deal with the scarcity of lifelike, purposeful synthetic limbs designed for Black amputees.
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