West Virginia eighth-grader builds low-cost 3D-printed bionic hand

Kianoosh Nawai, an eighth-grader from West Virginia Virtual Academy, has been selected as the state’s only finalist in the 2026 Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge. He designed and built a low-cost 3D-printed prosthetic hand, testing its grip strength and finger movement. His project was selected from nearly 2,000 entrants and will compete against 29 other finalists in Washington, DC.