Touch Bionics’ founder steps down
17 March 2009
Touch Bionics, developer of the world’s first commercially available
bionic hand, has announced that Director of Research and Non Executive
Director, David Gow, was stepping down from the business to concentrate
on his expanding role within NHS Lothian’s SMART Centre in Edinburgh.
As the founder and original inventor of the concepts that resulted in
the i-LIMB Hand, David Gow set the course for the company that, in early
2003, was the first company to be spun out from the Scottish National
Health Service — becoming the first SHIL (Scottish Health Innovations
Ltd.) spin-out to receive significant funding.
In the late 1980s Mr Gow’s work began in earnest on electronic arms,
including shoulders, wrists and hands. In 1993, a partial hand system
received international publicity and in 1998, major international
profile was achieved through the fitting of the world’s first
electrically powered shoulder. In 2000 further clinical fittings and
publicity with partial hands was a catalyst for the decision to set up
Touch Bionics.
Speaking about his departure from Touch Bionics Mr Gow said, "I have
immensely enjoyed my time with Touch Bionics and look forward to even
greater strides by the company in the field of upper limb prosthetics."
He continued, "It was really in 2005, with funding from existing and
new investors, including Archangel Informal Investments and the Scottish
Co-investment Fund, that we started the commercialisation of my ideas —
it’s very rewarding to have over 500 users from all over the world
wearing an i-LIMB Hand."
In his expanding role within NHS Lothian, David will become Head of
SMART Services and will be focusing his experience and efforts into
managing strategic service change and modernisation of Mobility,
Prosthetic and Bioengineering Services for the South East of Scotland.
Commenting on Mr Gow’s departure, Stuart Mead, CEO of Touch Bionics
said "We wish David every success with his continued work in the fields
of prosthetics and patient care. David and I have shared some exciting
and rewarding times and our ever-expanding team will continue to build
upon his pioneering work."
Robert Pattullo, a Director of Archangel Informal Investments, said
"Archangels are proud to have backed David Gow with his i-LIMB Hand
which has revolutionised upper limb prosthetics and massively improved
the lives of those who have lost their hands."
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