College kids make robotic arms for children without real ones By Daphne Sashin
A team of students and graduates from University of Central Florida (UCF) are making electronic arms using their three-dimensional printer on campus. The UCF team currently operate a nonprofit called Limbitless Solutions, which is the only group in existence in the 3-D volunteer network making electronic arms. The team's previous design of the electronic arms required the kids to bend their elbow to control the hand, however since many of the children they design for do not have elbows the team needed to find a new way for the child to control the opening and closing of the hand. The students came up with an idea for an electronic arm that would have a muscle sensor on the child's bicep that would allow them to open and close their hand by flexing their bicep. The students success was sparked after they were featured on segment on the "Today Show", and they now have international attention. Families from 25 countries are asking the students to help their children.
The use of 3-D printers will have a drastic effect on how prosthetics are made. Engineering students like the ones at UCF will continually create new ways to use technology and help adapt old concepts into something more accessible and positive. Hopefully these students can grow their organization so that they can help more children in even more countries, and maybe even develop technology that will become standard in all prosthetics desgin. Overall, I think that these students initiative created something amazing that will help thousands of kids across the globe.
