Message from the founder:

In early 2022, Open Muscle started as something of a personal experiment for me. I’ve spent most of my career as an IT consultant, and I’ve worked in a lot of different areas—from digital forensics to cybersecurity and regulatory compliance. It’s safe to say I’ve never been easy to pin down or fit into one box. But being on the spectrum, I’ve always found stability in focusing on the things I enjoy—solving complex problems, inventing, and staying creative. That’s what keeps me grounded. So when I came across a particular issue in prosthetics, it sparked something in me.

The problem wasn’t even directly related to my field. It was a story I came across about an amputee who couldn’t take home their prosthetic arm because of proprietary restrictions. That hit me hard. I kept thinking, how could something so vital, so life-changing, be locked behind gates like that? The more I thought about it, the more it felt wrong. I wasn’t in the prosthetics field, but I was someone who understood technology, systems, and, most importantly, how to create something from nothing. So, I decided to apply what I know and see if I could make a difference. And that’s how Open Muscle came to be.

Open Muscle was born out of that frustration but grew with a simple vision: to make prosthetic technology more accessible, open, and affordable. I started tinkering with ways to detect muscle movements using sensors—Pressure Myography (PMG) and Tissue Deformation Myography (TDMG)—that could translate those movements into meaningful data. My goal was to create a low-cost, open-source solution that anyone could build and improve on. The first prototypes were, well, pretty rough. I was using off-the-shelf components and handmade sensors, and most of the time I was learning on the fly. But the important thing was, it worked. Even those first models showed it was possible to detect forearm muscle contractions in a way that could control prosthetic movements in real time.

I didn’t do it alone, though. Open Muscle is built on collaboration. From the beginning, I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have support from the open-source community—people who were willing to jump in, give feedback, and contribute to making this technology better. By mid-2022, I had connected with Ultimate Robotics, a group that shares the same open-source values. Together, we started refining the technology. We integrated EMG sensors and built the uLabel system from my earlier design the LASK (Label Acquiring) system, which helped us train machine learning models to improve accuracy. By the end of the year, we were starting to predict finger movements with a level of precision that made the system really functional. That was a huge step forward for us.

Of course, there were plenty of challenges along the way. Dealing with wiring, noisy data, and latency issues—there was a lot to figure out. But every time we hit a roadblock, the open-source community stepped up. Whether it was offering suggestions through GitHub or just brainstorming with us, the project grew stronger because it wasn’t just me driving it forward—it was all of us.

Now, in 2024, we’re starting to explore a new collaboration with Delta Robotics. They specialize in artificial muscle systems, and while we’re just beginning to scratch the surface of what we can do together, I’m excited to see where it leads. Their expertise could take the Open Muscle project even further, especially in making prosthetic movements more natural and lifelike. It’s early days, but the potential is huge.

At its core, Open Muscle isn’t about me or my background in IT consulting and invention. It’s about the community and the belief that together, we can make a real difference. I don’t claim to have all the answers—I’m just someone who’s driven to solve problems and share the solutions with others. I’m grateful for everyone who has helped along the way, and I’m excited to see what we can achieve as more people join in.

There’s still a long road ahead, but with the support of this incredible community, I believe we’re on the right path. My hope is that we can continue to make prosthetics better, more affordable, and, most importantly, available to anyone who needs them. Together, we can make sure that the future of prosthetics is one of openness and accessibility for all.

Tory (AKA TURFPTAx)

Founder: Open Muscle