Local schoolboy, Noah Steele, won Overall Winning Design in Mid & East Antrim Borough Council's 'Activate Your Curiosity' competition, sponsored by PAC Group.
Noah was born with part of his right arm missing, and said he wanted to create ‘something special’ for children and adults like him. His innovative concept would see the arm equipped with a range of interchangeable attachments, using technology inspired by the Avengers’ Ant Man, which would be the ‘world’s first mind controlled robot arm’.
The Engineers at PAC Group were so impressed with Noah's innovative thinking, that they decided to try and bring his design to life.
The concept was first created as a CAD model using SolidWorks before being 3D printed in-house as a prototype using PLA material. The new prosthetic, based on Noah's original design, includes a Lego build-plate, a storage compartment with magnetic closure, two Lego build block attachments, and of course no superhero prosthetic would be complete without a Hulk hand attachment.
The finished prosthetic was manufactured using carbon fibre infused nylon by Onyx, which is almost twice as strong as ABS and temperature resistant up to 145°C. PAC Group client, AVX (and previous employer of Noah's father, small world!) kindly printed the final piece using a Markforged printer.
The finishing touches include an adjustable strap and internal foam cushioning with the aim of making the prosthetic more comfortable to wear.
Presenting Noah with the finished product based on his own design, and a Lego Avengers set to use with the build plate, Darren Leslie, Business Development Director at PAC Group, said:
"When we started to work on Noah's 'superhero' prosthetic, we conducted some research, and the team were really surprised that the prosthetic options offered to young people were so limited and restrictive, and that the options currently available don't reflect or make use of the new and emerging technologies and materials available."
"We're delighted to present Noah with a 'real life' version of his original design, and hope it inspires him to continue being creative and innovative. PAC Group are very proud to have delivered such a unique concept for a very special customer."
