Students create 3D printed arm for boy

Although Caleb was offered a basic prosthetic arm from the National Healthcare System when he was seven, and had learned how to get by without his right hand.

Caleb’s mother, Lynsey, was informed that a fully bionic arm would cost more than £30,000. It was too expensive, so the mother started searching online for another solutions. While searching, she found a group of students from USA who had already made a 3D printing hand for a girl in the USA, using their printer.

Lynsey contacted them, and asked them if they would created a 3D printing prosthetic arm for her son. They accepted the challenge, and had help from their teacher, Joy Schwartz. After six months of work, the product was ready.

“I learned to do a lot of things before but I’d like to be able to ride a quad bike in the future and I think I’ll be able to. I was self-conscious about my arm before. But I don’t mind showing people the prosthesis”.

The model the teacher and the students made for the boy is called an Unlimbited Arm with a Raptor Reloaded hand. It took about 15 to 20 hours to print the plastic components and a week to assemble, and cost about £40.

“It’s still early days but he’ll be able to discover for himself now what he can do. Before, myself or my husband would do things like cut up meat and Caleb would sometimes turn to me for help. Now he’ll have the confidence to be more independent and do things by himself.”

Adapted from: http://bit.ly/2oatbUm