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Image source: Robohand
BY JONAS BRUUN
A 5-year-old boy from South Africa has hit the headlines all over the world after some
incredible footage of the boy spread on the internet.
5-year-old Liam was born without fingers on his right hand due to a case of amniotic band
syndrome that causes amputation of digits before birth. But thanks to a 3-D printed
prosthetic hand, he’s now capable of picking up objects and carry things around.
The robotic hand is powered by cables and return bungees and is controlled by fine movements
of the wrist, arm and hand.
According to NBC News, the fingers and wrist hinge were made by using a 3D printer - a
computerized device that, given the dimensions of an object, can create copies of it by adding
layers of resin or other material.
The 3D printed prosthetic hand has been in the works for two years, ever since two men
from the United States and South Africa began the project in 2011.
One of the men, South African Richard Van As, is missing four fingers on his right hand
himself. The initial goal was to make a hand for him. But when five-year-old Liam’s mom
found out about their work and asked for help, Ivan Owen and Van As decided to base their
prototype on Liam instead.
But Liam won’t be the only one to benefit from the handy invention. Owen wants fingerless
people around the globe to be able to get a helping hand.
“Rich and I would like to really fine tune this and then be able to teach other people
how to make this and spread this idea - get it out to more people that are in need of
it so that people can access this without having to pay thousands and thousands of dollars.”
According to tech experts, the prototype seems to need some revisions before it’s fully
functional but the prosthetic hand generally met with praise and amazement.
ABC News notes that the prototype has huge potential as it “may be a model for people
seeking a low-cost prosthesis”.
According to Ars Technica, normal prosthetics cost “at least $10,000 per finger replaced.”
Even though the 3-D printed prosthetic hand is designed for a small child’s hand, it
can be scaled to fit a wide range of individuals. And anyone can try it out.
The designs have been made public on a sponsored website so anyone with a little bit of know-how
and a 3D printer can get themselves a robotic hand.