Peke Waihanga Recognised Globally for Leadership in Prosthetic Digital Innovation

Product Development & Commercialisation Lead, Charlotte Bunnett, presenting at the Australian Orthotics and Prosthetics Association (AOPA) conference 2025.

Peke Waihanga has been receiving international attention for its leadership in prosthetic digital workflows. This follows strong interest generated at the last AOPA conference. Impressed by the work and approach presented, international leaders encouraged Anthony Francis, Associate Professor of Prosthetics and Orthotics at La Trobe University, to visit New Zealand and see it firsthand.

Associate Professor of Prosthetics and Orthotics at La Trobe University, Anthony Francis.

La Trobe University is ranked in the top one per cent of universities worldwide. Mr Francis’ visit formed part of an international review of best practice in prosthetics and orthotics, with a focus on education and clinical innovation.

The university is recognised globally for its leadership in health sciences education, with a strong emphasis on preparing graduates for the future of clinical practice. For Mr Francis, this means developing students into effective, ethical clinical decision-makers in an increasingly digital healthcare environment.

La Trobe University Prosthetic/Orthotic student with a patient

Mr Francis said the visit confirmed the growing international reputation of Peke Waihanga in the field. “It was impressive to see the work in action,” he said. “Peke Waihanga demonstrates a best-practice model of prosthetic certification for safe clinical application, supported by strong organisational systems.” He also acknowledged the experience of working with the team, noting the warmth and hospitality shown during his time in Auckland.

Over the past year, Mr Francis has led a global exploration of digital prosthetic workflows to ensure graduates are equipped for the future of clinical practice. This has included site visits across Europe and Asia, alongside engagement with leading universities and technology providers.

He said Peke Waihanga stands out internationally for its approach – particularly in areas that extend beyond clinical assessment and scanning.

Peke Waihanga Research and Development Engineer, Dr Juan Schutte said this reflects a deliberate focus on quality and safety. “Our Product Development and Commercialisation Team follows a co-designed approach. With clinical confirmation and rigorous quality and engineering review processes, we ensure we are delivering the highest quality 3D printed prosthetics.”

Mr Francis highlighted the robust certification processes, quality and safety checks undertaken by Peke Waihanga, detailing engineering oversight and critique as key strengths. Importantly, these operate across both system-wide and individual levels. “These are areas where many organisations internationally are still developing capability,” he said and added that while technologies such as 3D printing are expanding what is possible, they also introduce new responsibilities. “Just because something can be made doesn’t mean it can be produced safely. Peke Waihanga is demonstrating exceptional leadership in addressing that challenge.”

Peke Waihanga Development Engineer, Dr Juan Schutte and Clinical Engagement Lead - Prosthetist/Orthotist, Miranda Chapman.

During his visit, Mr Francis met with Dr Schutte, Workshop Lead Christian Sims, and Clinical Engagement Lead - Prosthetist/Orthotist Miranda Chapman, to discuss the translation of high-level research and product development into frontline deployment. They explored the implementation barriers and evolving need for transdisciplinary collaboration to ensure teams are fit to leverage the benefits of emerging technologies to improve patient outcomes.

With broader shifts within the profession, clinical teams need to increasingly incorporate engineers, programmers and specialists in certification and quality assurance, to support safe and effective outcomes.

In addition to technical capability, Mr Francis also highlighted the growing importance of “digital hygiene” in managing sensitive patient data. “We need to be asking critical questions about where and how data is stored,” he said. “These are essential considerations for ethical and safe practice. As a profession, we still have work to do in embedding these practices,” he said. “Peke Waihanga is leading internationally in safe and ethical data management and prosthetic design workflows.” 

The visit has highlighted possibilities for future collaboration between La Trobe University and Peke Waihanga, with both organisations keen to explore further opportunities to advance education, research, and clinical innovation in prosthetics and orthotics.