Koalaa

People with upper-limb differences order Koalaa's soft, fabric-based prosthetic arms online -- fitted in 15 minutes via a virtual clinic -- when clinical prosthetic services are too costly, too rigid, or unavailable for their body.

ENABLE Model location

• Navigator-side Compensations → Use Assistive Technologies
• Builder-side Interventions → Design Accessible Experiences
• Builder-side Interventions → Develop Accessible Implementations

What it is

Koalaa Limited is a London-based company that makes the world's first "soft prosthetic arms" -- lightweight, machine-washable, fabric-based upper-limb prosthetics with interchangeable tool attachments for tasks including writing, playing instruments, cycling, cooking, and personal care.1 Founded in 2020 by Nate Macabuag during a master's project at Imperial College London, the company was inspired by Macabuag's meeting with Alex Lewis, a quadruple amputee who showed him what actually matters to people with limb differences: comfort, ease of use, and accessibility -- not the rigid, heavy designs that "have not been adapted since the Second World War."1

Koalaa's product range includes the ALX (a slip-on arm for below-elbow limb difference), the Paww (for partial-hand/finger differences), the Joeyy (for babies and infants under 3), the Day One (designed for use immediately after amputation or surgery), and sport-specific tools like the Joanie (tennis) and Sarah Pro (elite cycling).3 Products can be ordered online and shipped globally, with fitting completed in 15 minutes through Koalaa's virtual "Limb Buddy" service -- where a peer supporter with personal experience of limb difference guides the fitting remotely.1

As of early 2024, Koalaa had provided over 1,000 limbs to adults and children worldwide, produced 100–120 soft prosthetics per month from its London factory, and claimed to be "the market leader in upper limb prosthetics in the UK for children."3 Through "Project Limitless," in partnership with the Douglas Bader Foundation, Koalaa prosthetics are available free to anyone aged 18 or younger in the UK.3

Why it matters

Traditional upper-limb prosthetics are expensive, heavy, and require in-person clinical fitting -- barriers that exclude many of the 21 million people globally with upper-limb differences.3 Children especially are underserved: conventional prosthetics are generally not available for very young children, and those that exist are quickly outgrown. Koalaa's soft design (design), fabric construction (development), and virtual fitting model remove these barriers, making prosthetics function as true assistive technology rather than medical equipment that sits in a drawer.

The company's pricing is described as "a fraction of the price of a regular upper limb prosthetic," with a subscription model being explored "to further ensure that cost isn't a barrier."1 This directly addresses the precarity that keeps many people with limb differences from accessing functional prosthetics at all.

Real-world example

Koalaa's origin story itself is an example: when Nate Macabuag met Alex Lewis, a quadruple amputee, he learned that existing prosthetics failed on the criteria that mattered most to users -- everyday wearability, comfort, and the ability to do specific tasks without fighting the device. The result was a fundamentally different design approach: soft fabric instead of rigid materials, interchangeable tools instead of a single fixed hand, and a 15-minute virtual fitting instead of months of clinic visits.1

The Day One product represents a further innovation: the world's first "early rehab" prosthetic arm, designed for use immediately after amputation or surgery -- a period when no traditional prosthetic is available and patients are left without any assistive support.3

What care sounds like

• "We designed a prosthetic you can throw in the washing machine and put on like a sock."
• "Through Project Limitless, every child in the UK gets their Koalaa for free."
• "Our Limb Buddies have lived experience of limb difference -- they understand the fitting process from the user's side."

What neglect sounds like

• "Upper-limb prosthetics haven't meaningfully changed since the Second World War."
• "We don't fit children under three -- they'll grow out of it too quickly."
• "You'll need to come into the clinic for multiple appointments over several months."

What compensation sounds like

• "I can't afford a clinical prosthetic, so I've been going without for years."
• "My child's prosthetic sits in a drawer because it's too heavy and uncomfortable to wear."
• "I rigged my own tool attachment with duct tape because the clinical version doesn't let me hold a guitar pick."

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