A student in Tennessee has a broken hand, and his classmates are developing a prosthesis for him.
The student has the problem that his hand is not properly formed and he therefore cannot use the hand properly. He also explains himself that the situation and his hand are quite embarrassing for him.
We have embedded the CBS video here for you. Here you can take a look at the prosthetic hand and how it is used.
Classmates Build a Functional Prosthesis Using a 3D Printer
In the first days of school, the 15-year-old did not want to show his malformed hand.
In the first days of school, I really felt like I had to hide my hand. As if no one would ever find out.
However, a teacher from the school’s engineering program found out and explained that they might be able to help him. So three classmates teamed up and developed a prosthesis for him. They relied on online material and a 3D printer.
With the prosthesis, the 15-year-old was able to catch a baseball with his right hand for the first time. He says about it:
“When I caught it for the first time, everyone went crazy, because it was the first time in 15 years that I had caught a ball with my hand. (…) They changed my life.”
Many Users See Great Potential in 3D Printers
On reddit some explain that they see great potential in such 3D printers in the future. Because then you no longer have to spend $50,000 on prosthetics from medical companies that profit from the problems. One person writes: “If I were selling prosthetic hands for $60,000, I would be concerned.”
Other companies go a bit further and try to make your hands at least “less important”. One company proposed a mouse that you can control with your thoughts. And that’s just one of many crazy ideas that developers come up with to make gamers’ hobbies more enjoyable.
And even the large furniture company IKEA now offers hands in their range that can hold things for you but cannot replace:
IKEA presents new gaming furniture, including a stylish wooden hand for $20
