SPRINGFIELD, MASS. (WHDH) - Shriners Hospital recently outfitted an 8-year-old Lynnfield boy with its first custom-built, 3D printed bionic arm that was made to look like Marvel superhero Iron Man.
The Hero Arm device was customized for Sam, a bilateral amputee, in collaboration with a company in the United Kingdom to ensure he can live his life to the fullest, according to Shriners.
Engineers specifically designed the Hero Arm as a myoelectric prosthesis for below elbow amputees. When a user intentionally flexes specific muscles in their residual limb, EMG electrodes within the Hero Arm detect tiny electrical signals, allowing them to activate different grips with precise control.
Sam, who first came to Shriners in Boston in 2018 following amputations resulting from a bacterial infection, is now receiving prosthetic care from the health system’s location in Springfield.
The Hero Arm will enable him to engage more fully in all the sports and activities he loves including baseball, basketball, and playing with his friends and younger siblings. It will also make dressing, eating, cooking and other self-care tasks easier.
“We selected Sam to be the first patient to receive the Hero Arm because we knew it would help him do all the things he currently enjoys while providing an opportunity to develop fine motor skills and greater independence,” said Brock McConkey, Manager of Orthotics and Prosthetics at Shriners Hospitals for Children – Springfield. “It’s also lightweight and durable, which is perfect for a boy as young and active as Sam.”
Sam’s mother, Michelle, said the arm has “significantly” improved her son’s quality of life.
“It is an amazing gift that our family is incredibly grateful for,” she said.
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