DO IT YOURSELF DIGITS

Lost fingers are an occupational hazard for people who work with power tools, but sophisticated prostheses tend to be expensive. So Ivan Owen, an American designer, and South African woodworker Richard Van As—who lost four fingers—have teamed up to design a prosthetic device that can be made cheaply at home. First they built prototypes out of molded plastic, commonly available parts and toys, including an Erector set. Mr. Van As controls them with what's left of his fingers. Thanks to an Internet fund-raising campaign, they've since acquired a milling machine for making more precise, custom-made parts, and are working toward acquiring a 3-D printer as well. The home-brew version is based on simple pulleys and pivots.