In the world of prosthetic limbs, you’ll find that there is a lot of variety. There are some that are stripped down to be as cheap as possible, others that are attempting to be nearly identical to a normal limb, and everything in between. While some people have added personal flair and decoration, these things are usually more on the subtle side.
Open Bionics, a group that focuses on making cheap and functional bionic prosthesis for as many people as possible, has just announced that they are going to be producing new prosthetic arms that are themed from popular movies. These arms stand out, draw attention, and get people excited.
In collaboration with Disney as well as Industrial Light and Magic, Open Bionics has come out with three designs that should be available soon. The three movie franchises that they’re starting with are Iron Man, Frozen, and Star Wars. These designs are more than just a colored theme. The modeling reflects the design of movie, often integrating some additional electronics like embedded LEDs. You would notice this prosthetic arm in a crowded room, and that’s the goal.
The hands produced by Open Bionics are more than just a prop though. These systems utilize signals from other muscle groups to actuate the prosthetic arm. When the muscle is flexed in different ways, those signals are captured and interpreted to open and close the hand. You can see an example in the video below.
The goal is to make people, especially kids, proud to wear their prosthetics. So often kids are insecure about their prosthetics. These movie themed ones are intended to bolster their confidence and make them happy to wear the devices.
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