A bright teen from Penola Catholic College, Broadmeadows has created the world’s most affordable functional prosthetic arm to date.
The ‘Lightweight Multiarticulate Myoelectric Prosthetic Arm’ is a fully functional prosthetic arm, created by Christopher Batras, blending affordability with advanced functionality.
Christopher’s project provides an incredible solution for a functional prosthetic arm at a significantly lower cost.
He said he was inspired to create the prosthetic arm by a bionic arm from video game Metal Gear Solid.
“I utilised 3D printing technology to fabricate the various components from the CAD design using polylactic acid plus (PLA+) thermoplastic material in burgundy red and black to fit the theme of the character Venom Snake’s bionic arm from the video game franchise Metal Gear Solid,” he said.
“This material was chosen for its durability, affordability, and ease of printing.
“The inspiration behind crafting a 3D-printed myoelectric prosthetic arm was driven by a clear vision; to bridge the gap between affordability and cutting-edge technology, making advanced functionality accessible to all.
“To produce ALMMPA it cost me $135. Comparing that to the cost of $5000 to over $8000 for a functionless cosmetic prosthetic arm, and $20,000 to over $150,000 for a functional prosthetic arm.”
His prosthetic arm will be part of Melbourne Museum’s annual Top Designs exhibition, which opens to the public on Saturday, March 23.
Gerald Lynch
