Easton LaChappelle

Easton LaChappelle is a robotics engineer, entrepreneur, and inventor known for advancing prosthetic technology and making it more accessible. A two-time Intel International Science and Engineering Fair finalist, LaChappelle built his first robotic hand at age 14 using LEGOs, fishing wire, and electrical tubing. Growing up in a small town in Colorado, he taught himself electronics, coding, and 3D printing. For his 16th birthday, he received a 3D printer, which enabled him to create a robotic arm powered by a windshield wiper motor, later submitted to the Colorado State Science Fair.

A pivotal encounter at a science fair influenced the direction of LaChappelle's career. While presenting his work, he met a 7-year-old girl missing her right arm and using a basic prosthesis that cost $80,000. As the girl grew, her family faced the prospect of spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to replace the device. This experience motivated LaChappelle to develop a 3D-printed, brain-powered robotic arm that was lighter, more functional, and significantly less expensive than conventional devices. His work earned second place in the engineering category at the International Science and Engineering Fair, led to speaking engagements worldwide, an internship with NASA to work on Robonaut, and an invitation to the White House to present his project to President Barack Obama.

LaChappelle is the founder and CEO of Unlimited Tomorrow, a company specializing in ultra-personalized advanced prosthetic devices at a fraction of the cost of traditional options. By leveraging 3D printing, 3D scanning, 3D modeling, and virtual communications, Unlimited Tomorrow is transforming the prosthetics industry, with partners including Siemens, HP, and Microsoft. The company's flagship product, "TrueLimb," is a lightweight, affordable, multi-articulating prosthetic limb with a realistic appearance. TrueLimb devices weigh 1.1 pounds—three pounds lighter than a typical pediatric prosthetic arm—are customized for each user in size, skin tone, and fingernails, cost $8,000, and can be delivered to children within weeks through a remote process.

Unlimited Tomorrow offers "TrueLimb" direct-to-consumer at one-tenth the cost of traditional prosthetics, featuring an industry-first remote fitting process. LaChappelle and his team raised $1.568 million in under 30 days, enabling the release of the company's first product. The company's humanitarian efforts include partnerships with Siemens and Singularity University to provide personalized arm prosthetics to victims of the war in Ukraine, utilizing remote 3D scanning, generative design, and 3D printing.

LaChappelle has delivered a widely viewed TEDx talk on 3D printing in animatronics and serves as a keynote speaker for international audiences. He has stated, "To create technology that can impact someone's life on a really deep level, that's something that I've dedicated my life to. There's over 40 million amputees worldwide, and only about 5% of them have access to prosthetic devices. It was just not acceptable to me." His journey from a self-taught teenager to a CEO in the medical technology and robotics industry highlights his impact on innovation and accessibility in prosthetics.