Page 26 Daily Mail, Friday, August 23, 2019
by Sadie
Nicholas
life
W
HAT do you see when you
look at this picture? Four
children with disabilities —
or sassy superheroes ready
to take on the universe andanything else life throws at them?
Despite all being upper-limb amputees, these
youngsters could easily pass for comic book
crusaders as they show off their futuristic, bionic
‘Hero Arms’.
The first medically certified, 3D-printed, bionic
arm in the world, the Hero Arm allows for precise
movements that other prostheses do not.
For decades, prosthetic hands have offered
little functionality, while other new bionic arms
on the market retail for upwards of £50,000,
pricing out most would-be owners.
But Open Bionics, a Bristol company that
engineers and makes the Hero Arm, is on a
mission to change that, with its prosthetic limbs
costing around £10,000.
Founded in 2014 by Samantha Payne, a former
technology journalist, and robotics engineer Joel
Gibbard, the company is working closely with the
NHS to have the arm made freely available.
‘We know £10,000 is a huge amount of money,
which is why we’ve spent five years working to
make it affordable to the NHS,’ says Samantha.
‘We’re the only company to have engaged with
the NHS on a clinical trial for prosthetics. One
day we also intend to develop bionic lower limbs,
which are more complex to engineer because of
the movement and weight-bearing required.’
At 720g, the Hero Arm weighs less than
a bag of sugar, and all its technology,
including the motor and electronics
board, is contained within the
palm. The user slips their arm
into the ‘socket’ (or forearm),
which has two sensors
inside, then controls the
hand by tensing spe-
cific muscles.
Here, four warriors
reveal the superpow-
ers they’ve acquired
since getting their
bionic arms...
TILLY LOCKEY, 13, has
two bionic arms and
lives in Consett, County
Durham, with her mother
Sarah Lockey (pictured
below with Tilly), 40, who
works for the charity
Meningitis Now, her
father Adam, 39, a teacher,
and sisters Tia, 15, Lucy-
Anna, 11, and Hermione,
seven. Tilly says:
AFTer contracting meningitis at 15
months old, I had both hands amputated.
But with my Hero Arms on I feel confi-
dent and powerful — a bit like a bionic
girl! Though I learned to do most things,
including writing and riding a bike, without
prosthetic limbs, the biggest difference now is I
can multi-task.
recently, I was at a train station and was able
to pull my wheelie case along with one hand while
holding a hot chocolate in the other. I can also
play the Just Dance game on my Wii console at
home and hold the remote control instead
of having to tape it to my arm.
When I was younger, I tried different
prosthetic limbs, but they only opened
and closed a bit and didn’t grip well.
They were designed to resemble real
hands, but to me they looked weird
and creepy. So I decided I’d rather
stand out. I didn’t want to hide the
fact that I have no hands.
Mum heard about Open Bionics in
2016 when it was looking
for amputees to take part
in trials for its first proto-
type, and I’ve been working
with the team ever since.
In 2017 I was on the news
talking about the trials, and a
philanthropist businessman
called the TV station to say
he’d love to buy me a hand.
We’ve been in touch since but
he prefers to be anonymous.
Then, as a thank you for all my
hard work, Open Bionics gave
me the other one.
I’m now on my second pair
having outgrown the first. Open
Bionics surprised me with them
earlier this year — these have six
interchangeable covers in lovely
colours, including teal and rose
gold, so I can match my hands
with my outfits.
My friends think they’re really
cool and strangers ask to shake my
hand and have a picture taken.
I’m still working with Open
Bionics. Hopefully it will develop
an automatic wrist to enable me to
put my hair up in a bobble, tie
laces and do up little buttons.MUM SARAH SAYS: We were so
grateful for Tilly’s life when she sur-
vived meningitis, and promised her
she’d have hands again. I remember
her sitting in her cot, scrutinisingher black, dead hands. Then,
instinctively, she picked up teddies
and her milk bottle using her arms.
As she got older, Tilly was able to
play, go to school and ride a bike.
Now, with her Hero Arms, I love
watching how much she uses them
to gesticulate during conversa-
tions. They’ve given her so much
confidence to express herself and
to pose for the endless photos she
and her friends love taking.
RYAN GREGSON, 13, lives in
Glasgow with mum Debbie
(pictured inset right with Ryan),
42, and dad Stephen, 44, both in
local government, and brother
Callum, seven. Ryan was born
with one hand. He says:
THe best thing about my bionic
hand is being able to give mybrother a little handshake. He
thinks I look like Iron Man
and I like that the arm
doesn’t look human. My
mates think it’s really
cool and are impressed
by the different fea-
tures, including a
button at the top of
the hand which ena-
bles me to do things
like sticking my
thumb or three fingers up, and
making an ‘o’ shape for OK.
At school I can play the drums
and xylophone with two sticks and
get more of a beat going. Playing
on my Xbox is great too, though
sometimes my bionic fingers move
when I am trying to hold the
controller still.
MUM DEBBIE SAYS: It was a magicalday, August 2 3 , 2 019handshake. He
ike Iron Man
at the arm
human. My
it’s really
mpressed
ent fea-
ding a
top of
h ena-
hings
g my
ee fingers up, and
shape for OK.
can play the drumsTHe
superkid
s
£10
, 000
retail for upwards of £50, 000 ,
t would-be owners.
onics, a Bristol company that
makes the Hero Arm, is ona
ge that, with its prosthetic limbs
£10,000.
1 4 by Samantha Payne, a former
nalist, and robotics engineer Joel
mpany is working closely with the
e arm made freely available.
0 00 is a huge amount of money,
e’ve spent five years working to
ble to the NHS,’ says Samantha.
y company to have engaged with
linical trial for prosthetics. One
nd to develop bionic lower limbs,
complex to engineer becauseof
and weight-bearing required.’
ero Arm weighs less than
and all its technology,
otor and electronics
ained within the
slips their arm
(or forearm),
o sensors
trols the
g spe-riors
pow-
uired
theirY, 13 , has
s and
, County
her mother
(pictured
y), 40, who
harity
w, her
9 , a teacher,
15, Lucy-
Hermione,
:
ting meningitis at 15
d both hands amputated.
ero Arms on I feel confi-
rful — a bit like a bioniclearned to do most things,
ng and riding a bike, without
s, the biggest difference now is Is at a train station and was able
ie case along with one hand while
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ance game on my Wii consoleat
the remote control instead
eit to my arm.
ounger, I tried different
s, but they only opened
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gned to resemble real
me they looked weird
I decided I’d rather
n’t want to hide the
no hands.
out Open Bionics in2016 when it was looking
for amputees to take part
in trials for its first proto-
type, and I’vebeen working
with the team ever since.
In 2017 I was on the new
talking about thetrials, and
philanthropist businessm
called the TV station to s
he’d love to buy me a han
We ’vebeen in touch since b
he prefers to be anonymo
Then, as a thank you for all m
hard work, Open Bionics ga
metheotherone.
I’m now on my second p
having outgrown the first. Op
Bionics surprised me with the
earlier this year — these have
interchangeable covers in lov
colours, including teal and ro
gold, so I can match my han
with my outfits.
My friends think they’re rea
cool and strangers ask to shake m
hand and have apicture taken.
I’m still working with Op
Bionics. Hopefully it will devel
an automatic wrist to enable me
put my hair up in a bobble,
laces and do up little buttons.MUM SARAH SAYS: We were
grateful for Tilly’s life when she s
vived meningitis, and promised h
she’d have hands again. I rememb
her sitting in her cot, scrutinisiWiTH THe
They’re pioneers
who humble us all: four
youngsters with sci-fi
robotic arms to replace
missing limbs. And, as
their inspirational stories
reveal, there’s not an
ounce of self-pity
between them
Now I can
fist-bump my
little brother
RYAN
bionic
arms