30 May 2013

Man Invents Mechanical Hand To Help Children Without Fingers

[Click here to view the video in this article]







When Richard Van As first lost four of his fingers in an accident, he immediately set to work on designing a mechanical replacement hand that would restore some use of his hand.



Named ‘Robohand’, the project was a collaboration with USA-based mechanical prop designer Ivan Owen.



The ‘Robohand’ is a mechanical hand with fingers that open and close with the motion of the wrist.



Users of the ‘Robohand’ will be able to grasp objects and even throw a ball.



Their development process was greatly helped by the donation of two 3D printers from Makerbot.



With the 3D printers, Van As realised he could also help others without fingers.



He posted a blog post on his story and quickly received many messages from parents whose children suffered from Amniotic Band Syndrome, which prevents the limbs from developing properly.



The files and instructions for building the ‘Robohand’ has been posted onto Thingverse for free.



The material cost of the ‘Robohand’ is approximated to be around US$150, making it a much more affordable choice compared to other prosthetic options.



Click to watch the video below:









































[MakerBot via Dezeen]