en.Wedoany.com Reported - UK prosthetics company Open Bionics has successfully fitted a full-length bionic arm, the Hero FLEX, for New York amputee Praveen Gowtham using 3D printing technology, making him the first above-elbow amputee in the world to receive the device. Gowtham, 43, a physicist who underwent amputation due to circulatory complications after birth, has lived most of his life without a prosthetic.

Gowtham contacted Open Bionics after noticing the gradual maturation of prosthetic technology, but at the time, the Hero FLEX had not yet been adapted for above-elbow amputees. He waited about a year before completing the fitting. After receiving the system, he was immediately able to perform multiple daily tasks, including holding a dog leash with both hands, gripping tools on a workbench, and opening a pull-tab can independently for the first time. He reported no noticeable delay between shoulder muscle contraction and arm response.

Gowtham expressed great excitement about using the arm every day, noting that the entire solution is lightweight and he feels no burden on his shoulder. For example, giving treats to his dog is easier, he can lift boxes from shelves, he no longer needs to put things on the ground before opening a door, and he can open a can of soda. The Hero FLEX is manufactured using 3D printing and is based on a modular architecture, allowing users to switch between activity-specific attachments and the bionic hand depending on the task. Gowtham described the system as the lightest prosthesis he has ever worn.

Daniel Green, an upper limb prosthetist at Open Bionics' New York clinic, noted that seeing Gowtham walk confidently down the street, holding a coffee in one hand and a dog leash in the other, is the result of the engineering and clinical teams' efforts to extend an already popular solution to a broader population of people with limb differences. Open Bionics co-founder Samantha Payne added that extending the Hero FLEX to above-elbow amputees means the technology is now available to the group that stands to benefit most from a lightweight, modular, advanced bionic system.

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